kathmandu, nov. 10: bricks found on tuesday in course of constructing a canal north of the mayadevi temple in lumbini are believed to be of archaeological importance thus promoting a temporary halt to the construction taking place in preparation to the near coming second world buddhist conference in lumbini.
a team of senior archaeologists have been mobilised to the site of the construction in order to verify the archaeological value of the bricks.
however, talking to rss over telephone today, project chief of lumbini development trust bishnu dhakal said the bricks found while cleaning the mud stored during the excavation carried out by kesar shumsher could not be of any archaeological importance.
in case, the team proves the archaeological importance of the bricks they will be preserved immediately, he added.
meanwhile, some people have been accusing the trust of bringing down an archaeological wall while using a bull dozer to complete the work in haste.
in this connection, the department of archaeology has sent a warning letter to the trust, it is learnt.
commenting on this, vice-chairman of the trust angdawa sherpa said the wall was noticed while the department of roads built a canal and it had not archaeological significance.
a similar wall had been traced during the excavation carried out between 1976 and 82 at the same site which was proved to be of the mauryakal, says basanta maharjan, an archaeological researcher on lumbini. the place and wall has also been mentioned in his research paper.
bricks recovered from the mud while digging the canal may not be a simple brick but of archaeological importance so no decision should be taken in haste, he adds. rss