Archaeologists in Bihar’s Rohtas district have unearthed the foundation of a 2,200-year-old temple dedicated to Ushas, the Vedic goddess of the dawn. This rare find, dating back to the 2nd Century BCE, provides crucial evidence of early Brahmanical temple architecture in the Middle Ganges plain, predating many known structural shrines in the region.
The excavation revealed a unique circular brick platform and fragments of sandstone pillars featuring Brahmi inscriptions. These inscriptions detail the donation of the site by a local merchant guild, highlighting the importance of ancient trade routes in the propagation of early religious structures and the transition from open-air altars to permanent monuments.