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archaeology

Rare 8th-Century 'Pala-Era' Buddhist-Sanskrit Stucco Murals Discovered in a Hidden Monastery in Jharkhand

📅 March 22, 2026 📰 The Heritage Times
Rare 8th-Century 'Pala-Era' Buddhist-Sanskrit Stucco Murals Discovered in a Hidden Monastery in Jharkhand

Archaeologists have uncovered a previously unknown Buddhist monastery in the dense forests of Jharkhand, featuring extraordinary stucco murals. These artworks combine traditional Buddhist iconography with early Sanskrit inscriptions that detail the monastery's affiliation with the Pala Empire's trade guilds.

The murals are unique for their usage of natural mineral pigments that have remained vivid for over 1,200 years. The site appears to have served as a learning center where monks and traveling merchants studied both theology and the arts of trade and metallurgy.

Original source: The Heritage Times