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Archaeology department team found 3,730 lead coins with elephant symbol on one side and Ujjain symbol on the other side inside an earthen pot at the Phanigiri Buddhist site in Suryapet district, Telangana
Why in News
According to the archaeologists, the coins belong to the Ikshvaku period dated between 3rd century and 4th century Common Era.
Besides the coins, the archaeologists discovered stone beads, glass beads, shell bangle fragments, stucco motifs, broken limestone sculptures, a wheel of a toy cart, final nails and pottery
Phanigiri
The place consists of a Buddhist complex which is adorned with a massive stupa along with two apsidal halls with stupas in it.
Two large footprints in the complex are believed to belong to Gautama Buddha.
The place also houses three viharas which were once served as the dwelling for the Buddhist monks.
Previously the name of the village is Dharmachakrapuram but later it is changed to Phanigir(which represent the shape of the hill - phani=snake, giri=hill)
Ikshvaku dynasty
The dynasty ruled in the eastern Krishna River valley of India, from their capital at Vijayapuri(modern Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh) during approximately 3rd and 4th centuries CE.
They are also known as the Andhra Ikshvakus or Ikshvakus of Vijayapuri to distinguish them from their legendary namesakes.
The Ikshvaku kings were Shaivites and performed Vedic rites, but Buddhism also flourished during their reign.
Ikshvaku dynasty
Several Ikshvaku queens and princes contributed to the construction of the Buddhist monuments at present-day Nagarjunakonda
According to the Jain literature, the first Tirthankara of Jainism, Rishabhanatha himself was King Ikshvaku.
Further, 21 Tirthankaras of Jainism were born in this dynasty
The Ikshvakus inscriptions found in Nagarjunakonda, Jaggayyapetta, Amravati, and Bhattiprolu document their activities such as donation, construction, religious faith etc.
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