Workers at an excavation site in Vaishali district. Picture by Prakash Kumar

Muzaffarpur, Feb. 6: Officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Patna circle, have unearthed brick dimensions and three potshards of redware, greyware and blackware, belonging to the 4th century BC, while conducting a surface exploration in Kolhuva village in Vaishali district.

A team of ASI experts, led by superintending archaeologist S.K. Manjul, deputy superintending archaeologist Arvind Manjul and Patna University archaeology department head Shatrughan Sinha, have been conducting the explorations in the vicinity of Buddha stupas in Kolhuva and Vaishaligarh villages in the district.

S.K. Manjul inspected the site after the recovery of the potshards that indicate a link to the Gupta period.

“The ASI is all set to start explorations and excavations in the vicinity of Kolhuva, Kushi and Vaishaligarh to dig out historical evidence from these sites related to Buddhism,” he said.

The archaeologists also found northern black polish of 6th century BC, soil clay and pitchers. They also deciphered a script on the artefacts, presumably of the Asokan era.

In the wake of this discovery, the ASI is considering larger excavations to unearth historical treasures that may be buried, said a source.

He also said: “We are very close to proving the connection of this site to the development of Buddhism.”

Large-scale excavations are also planned at Bedaulia village.

Vijay Suman, the president of Buddha International Research and Welfare Society, said the team also inspected Bedaulia village, where Gautama Buddha spent the last monsoon of his life, 10 months before his death. A large number of his fellow monks and disciples also lived in and around Vaishali, when Buddha fell ill.

The team of experts also visited a thick forest near the village where there are many aged banyan and peepal trees. Near the forest is a small mound that is called Anirudh tila by the villagers. A source said the experts were of the opinion that the mound covered a number of artefacts.

Even the antiques that the villagers regularly recovered from the surface proved that there was a settlement in the area before 600BC.

The team also inspected different terracotta pieces found in the area with carvings of human figures with bird-like faces, pinched noses, prominent breasts, expansive hips and tapering arms and legs.

Vaishali MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has been repeatedly demanding excavations of the historical spots in the district to establish the Buddhist connection.