Buddhist Relic Casket found in Gn. Fua Mulaku Hoadhanu Area

A coral stone casket containing an cowries, a conch and animal statue was found while digging in hoadhandhu ward ‘boalha dhandu’ (havitha) area.

hoadhandu ‘boalha dhandu’ western area was being excavated for planting a tree when they found a stone casket having a width of 10 inches and length of 11 inches and height of 8 inches. The casket contained an animal figurine believed to be made by stone. The figurine was placed inside the casket with cowrie shell, which was used as currency and a conch shell along with  big cowrie shells that was not used currency. The lid of the casket (1inch height) was broken by the blade of the excavater while digging in the 5 ft pit. Human bones was also discovered in this pit.
 

The stone casket and the things inside it have been taken to Fua Mulaku Atoll Office. Counseler Hassan Saeed that what to do with the casket will be determined under advice with the National Heritage Center and has forbidden digging in the site.
 


The pit in which the casket is found is near an are called ‘Kuda Havitta’ which is considered a part of ‘Fua Mulaku Havitta’. Theres a pile of rabble sand and stones nearby the pit which is a protected site by the National Centre for Linguistic and Historical Research.

 

In March 1946 Adam Naseer Manik was sent by the government to dig the ‘Havitha’ area and found 4 boxes each containing a casket, and in each casket was a gold tin. These caskets are now  in the Maldives Museum.



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