Indian archaeologists discover 2,500-year-old temple destroyed in epic flood

Flash flood
(Image credit: iStock)

The city of Raipur, in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, is an old city by any standards, dating back to the 9th century. That said, a temple discovered by Indian archaeologists in the region could make it much, much older — 2,500 years old, to be precise, the India Times reports. Indications, then, seem to place the temple as belonging to the Maurya Empire, one of the largest and most populous dynasties of antiquity.

The north-facing Raipur temple is about 32 feet by 30 feet and once boasted a large central hall with walls constructed of large rocks. Idols of the goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati, belonging to the Hindu religion, were found at shrines inside. Fifteen homes fanned out in the area in front of the temple. The temple didn't survive the 12th century, however — it was destroyed by enormous flash floods in the region.

The Archaeological Survey of India, who made the discovery, is riding the wave of a great week — earlier, in Tamil Nadu's Sivanaga district, researchers discovered a massive settlement dating back a possible 3,000 years, and stocked with Roman wares, evidencing trade between the empires.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Continue reading for free

We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.

Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.

Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.