A 1,900-year-old statue of Buddha discovered at the coast of the Red Sea suggests there was a Buddhist settlement during the Roman Era.
The Buddha statue can be traced back to between A.D 90 and 140, Steven Sidebotham, a professor at the university of Delaware and co-director on the project told Live Science. (Gen Z Traded Church For ‘A New Religion,’ Faith Leaders Say)
“The discovered statue was made of stone that may have been extracted from a region south of Istanbul or may have been carved locally in Briniki and dedicated to the temple by one or more wealthy traders from India,” the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in an April 26 statement, “The statue is 71 cm high and depicts a Buddha standing and holding part of his clothes in his left hand, and around his head there is a hala with sunlight depicted on it, indicating to his radiating mind, and beside it is a lotus flower.”
A statue of Buddha has been discovered in Egypt’s ancient seaport of Berenice on the Red Sea, shedding light on trade ties with India under the Roman empire.
A Polish-US mission discovered the statue “dating back to the Roman era while digging at the ancient temple in Berenice”,… pic.twitter.com/fo9Bw3RRqs— Eagle Eye (@SortedEagle) April 29, 2023
The findings serve as strong evidence showing the interconnectedness between the Roman Empire and Ancient India, according to the Smithsonian Magazine. It also amplifies the role that Egypt had for the Roman Empire, serving as a trade port for the Empire, the report continued.
“The new Sanskrit inscription and associated finds now show clearly that there was a settled Indian merchant community, rather than just traders passing through,” Richard Salomon, professor emeritus of Sanskrit at the University of Washington in Seattle, said to Live Science.