Ancient marble sphinx unearthed in Inwa
Rebuilding the tooth relic tower,
standing about 40 to 50 feet high, will not only showcase a Myanmar royal
tradition to local and foreign visitors but also offer panoramic views of
Inwa’s natural beauty, adding a new highlight to the city’s tourist
attractions.
During the excavation of Inwa’s tooth
relic building, a marble sphinx image, which was believed to be sculpted by
Amarapura’s King Bagyidaw, was discovered, according to a local researcher, Bo
Shake.
The tooth relic building was known to
have eight sphinx images, and one of them was found during the excavation,
which is invaluable for those who want to study the original work because this
image can be referenced in renovation and restoration work.
“There are eight sphinxes in the tooth
relic building. So far, one statue has remained intact. I’m so thrilled. When
we rebuild it, we will have an original sculpted version to study. It’s an
invaluable statue for those who want to study it in its original form. I hope
to see more images,” he said.
The statue was delivered to the museum.
As a donor will contribute to the reconstruction of the tooth relic building,
located to the right of the eastern entrance to the ancient palace, the
authentic renovation work preserving the original design will be conducted in
Inwa, he added.
It was built for the fourth time by King
Bagyidaw, probably in 1183 of the Myanmar Era, and will be rebuilt according to
the paintings of the Parabaiks.
The rebuilding of the tooth relic tower
will help promote tourism, as local and foreign visitors can explore a Myanmar
royal tradition. Its height is about 40 to 50 feet, which can also become a
place to enjoy the natural beauty of the ancient city from a height, adding to
the list of tourist attraction sites in Inwa. — MT/ZN
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