 |
|
Experts say a lion
revealed by the tsunami is from the 7th
Century | |
Indian divers have found more evidence of an
ancient port city, apparently revealed by December's tsunami.
Stone structures that are "clearly man-made" were seen on the
seabed off the south coast,
archaeologists say.
They could be part of the mythical city of Mahabalipuram, which legend says was so
beautiful that the gods sent a flood that engulfed six of its seven
temples.
Other relics were revealed when the powerful waves washed away sand as
they smashed into the Tamil Nadu coast.
The Archaeological Survey of India launched the diving expedition after
residents reported seeing a temple and other structures as the sea pulled
back just before the tsunami hit.
The new finds were made close to the 7th Century Mahabalipuram temple,
which some say is the structure that survived the wrath of the gods.
"We've found some stone structures which are clearly man-made,"
expedition leader Alok Tripathi told the reporters.
"They're perfect rectangular blocks, arranged in a clear pattern."
The ancient "gifts" of the tsunami are expected to be presented to an
international seminar on maritime archaeology in Delhi next month.
Other discoveries made at Mahabalipuram earlier this month include a
granite lion of a similar age to the temple that experts believe had been
buried for centuries before the tsunami shifted the sand.
Archaeologists have been working at the site for the last three years,
since another diving expedition discovered what appeared to be a submerged
city, including at least one temple.
The myths of Mahabalipuram were first written down by British traveller
J Goldingham who was told of the "Seven Pagodas" when he visited in 1798.
(BBC) |
去年12月份的海嘯掀開了印度一個(gè)古代港口城市的面紗，目前印度潛水員們發(fā)現(xiàn)了更多實(shí)證。
考古學(xué)家們表示，在印度南部海岸附近海底發(fā)現(xiàn)的石頭建筑“明顯是人工建造的”。
它們可能是傳說(shuō)中的馬哈巴利普蘭古城的一部分，神話中說(shuō)這座城市太美麗了，以至于諸神喚來(lái)洪水，淹沒了城內(nèi)七座寺廟中的六座。
當(dāng)強(qiáng)大的海浪襲擊泰米爾納德邦省的海岸，沖走了海灘上的沙子后，神廟遺跡露出了海面。
就在海嘯發(fā)生前，有居民報(bào)告退潮時(shí)看到一座寺廟和其他建筑物，印度考古學(xué)調(diào)查組隨后派出了潛水探察隊(duì)。
這些新發(fā)現(xiàn)位于馬哈巴利普蘭寺廟附近，馬哈巴利普蘭寺廟建于公元7世紀(jì)，有人說(shuō)這些建筑僥幸逃過(guò)了諸神的懲罰。
“我們發(fā)現(xiàn)了一些顯然是人工修建的石頭結(jié)構(gòu)的建筑物。”探察隊(duì)領(lǐng)隊(duì)阿洛克·特里帕蒂對(duì)記者說(shuō)。
“它們是用完美的長(zhǎng)方形石塊按一定樣式搭建而成的。”
海嘯帶來(lái)的這件古代“禮物”將于下個(gè)月在印度德里市舉行的海上考古學(xué)國(guó)際研討會(huì)上露面。
二月份早些時(shí)候，在馬哈巴利普蘭還有其他一些發(fā)現(xiàn)，包括和這座寺廟年代相仿的一只花崗巖石獅，專家認(rèn)為在海嘯沖走浮沙之前，它已經(jīng)在海底埋藏了數(shù)個(gè)世紀(jì)了。
在過(guò)去的三年中，考古學(xué)家們一直在這片遺址工作。在另一次潛水探測(cè)中，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)了一座沉沒水中的城市，里面至少有一座寺廟。
有關(guān)馬哈巴利普蘭的種種傳說(shuō)最早是由英國(guó)旅行家戈丁漢姆記載的。1798年他訪問(wèn)印度時(shí)，聽到了“七座寶塔”的神話傳說(shuō)。
（中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)站譯） |
Updated: 2005-03-02 10:19