A previously unknown Arakanese temple has been located in the dense jungles near the ancient city of Mrauk U. The structure, built during the early Mrauk U period, features a unique hollow-core design and is decorated with high-relief sandstone friezes depicting scenes from the Jataka tales. These carvings are remarkably well-preserved due to a thick layer of moss and debris that protected them from the elements for centuries.
The temple's layout includes a vaulted corridor that circles a central Buddha image, a common feature in regional architecture designed for ritual circumambulation. Local heritage groups are working with international experts to document the site's unique epigraphy, which includes inscriptions in an early form of the Rakhine script that may clarify the chronology of the region's medieval kings.