Sphinx unearthed in Inwa to be temporarily preserved at museum

THE Department of Archae­ology and National Museum (Mandalay Branch) announced that a sphinx, discovered dur­ing excavations for the con­struction of the tooth-relic building in the ancient city of Inwa, located in the Inwa Ancient Cultural Zone of the Mandalay Region, is being temporarily preserved at the museum.

 

The Inwa tooth-relic build­ing, built in 1183 ME by King Bagyidaw of Sagaing, is now in ruins, and preliminary prepara­tions are underway to restore it to its original state. Excavations are currently being carried out to remove the collapsed soil around the building.

 

“During the excavations on 7 September, when we reached the northeast corner of the site, the team discovered a large marble-like figure beneath a tree. On closer inspection, they realized it was a sphinx statue. The statue is now being tempo­rarily kept at the Inwa Museum. The statue originally stood on the right side of the entrance gate to the palace in Inwa, within the palace grounds. It is difficult to find such a stat­ue in complete form, which is why it is considered extremely rare — not only because of its survival but also because of its craftsmanship. Discovering a statue of this kind is like re­covering a priceless piece of cultural heritage for us,” said an official from the Department of Archaeology and National Museum (Mandalay Branch).

 

The statue, a marble work of art from the Amarapura pe­riod carved during the reign of King Bagyidaw of Sagaing and considered extremely rare for its craftsmanship and value, is planned to be returned to its original location once the recon­struction of the Inwa tooth-relic building is complete. — ASH/ TH