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Archaeological Sites
About Myanmar Beikthano - The ruins lies some 20 km west of Taungdwingyi is not easily recognized by casual passers-by but the elderly local people remember that the fort walls stood much higher than now about half a century ago before the bricks were quarried for building roads and rail tracks. The excavations, though limited to twenty-five selected sites during six open seasons, reveal that the cultural equipment of the site is essentially Pyu in character. Masonery structures with massive walls constructed of large sized bricks, un-inscribed silver coins bearing symbols of prosperity and good-luck, burial urns of plain and exquisite designs, beads of clay and semi-precious stones, decorated domestic pottery, iron nails and bosses are among the finds which reveal convincing cultural links between Beikthano and the established Pyu site of Srikshetra. The burial urns are definite evidence of cultural relationship between Beikthano on one hand and Srikshetra and Hanlin on the other hand. Innumerable urns unearthed at Srikshetra era of the same character as those from Beikthano as regards the contents and manner of burials. The antiquity of Beikthano is vouched by the recovery of un-inscribed coins or medals known Pyu coins. Though the number recovered by excavation is quite few, surface finds were also made by the local people from time to time. From these specimens it appears that not only the predominant type found at Srikshetra but also the type peculiar to Hanlin occurs at this site. In Myanmar, these types of un-inscribed coins could be definitely attributed as one of the chief characteristics of Pyu culture.
Hanlin - An ancient site where Pyu culture flourished as early as the 2nd century A.D. It is located 17km southeast of Shwebo. The located residents after coming across objects of antiquarian interest such as gold, silver, and bronze objects, utensils, mirrors, coins and ornaments, which are usually melted down. Unlike Srikshetra or Beikthano where Hindu or Buddhist religions influenced with image worship, no traces could be found at Hanlin. Another interesting factor that prevailed at Hanlin indicates the practice of burial of corporeal remains as also burial of cremated remains in urns was in vogue. The brick-walled city complex is two miles long and a mile wide.
Tagaung - The Glass Palace Chronicle says that Myanmar history starts in Tagaung, some 300 years before the birth of Buddha [850 BC]. It is situated 200 km up-river north of Mandalay. But then it is quite a civilized period, with cities, kings, farmers, workers and festivals. Tagaung still exists as a big village and can be reached by river way from Mandalay.
Hmawza - The ancient site of Sri Kestra lies 8 km northeast of Pyay in the village of Hmawza. It dates to the early Pyu Kingdom that ruled the surrounding area from the 5th to 9th century AD. By the old palace site stands a small museum and a map of the area. Inside the museum is a collection of artifacts colleted from Thayekhittaya excavations, including royal funerary urns, stone relief's, a couple of bodhisattvas, statues of the Hindu deities Tara Devi, Vishnu and Lakshmi and several 6th century Buddha images, tile fragments, terracotta votive tablets and silver coins minted in the kingdom, etc.
Padalin Cave - Myanmar has a wild and primitive period with no cities, towns, or villages. Men live in caves. They wear no cloth nor possess no tools. They hunt with roughly-made stone-axes and spikes to get food for survival. They could not speak nor write. One of them may utter something or try to draw picture on the walls. They are cave men of New stone Age, may be over 100,000 years ago. Padalin Cave at the western fringe of Shan Plateau in Ywarngan Village is supposed to be such an abode of pre-historic cave men, perhaps the first natives or settlers of Myanmar. Situates on a range of hills about 100 ft., there are two caves facing south. The first has two caverns stretching 40 ft. inside. The second is much larger with a mouth of 50 ft. and inside length of 800 ft. On the wall of cave No. 1, there are primitive paintings of the sun, animals and fish. Being lime stone caves, stalactite and stalagmites have been formed, due to the dripping percolating water from the roof.
Nyaunggan - The Bronze-Age culture heritage site is located near Nyaunggan Village, Budalin township, Sagaing Division, about 50 km from Monywa. The site is situated on a crater of a dormant volcano, which is about 4 miles Northeast of the famous Twintaung. There are 5 excavation sites so far, where you can find burial mounds of our ancestors. In these excavation sites human skeletal remains were found together with pots of various sizes and shapes, stone rings, beads, socket bronze axes and some animal bones. This is an extraordinary pre-historic culture, which was found as the missing link between stone age and iron age culture, and the first discovery of a Bronze-age Burial site in Myanmar.
