Context

The Department of Archaeology and Museums has unearthed a coin hoard at the Phanigiri Buddhist site in the Suryapet district (Telangana).

• According to the archaeologists, the coins belong to the Ikshvaku period, dated between the 3rd century and the 4th century Common Era.
• The coins have an elephant symbol on the obverse and the Ujjain symbol on the reverse.

Phanigiri: A Buddhist Site in Telangana

• Location: The Phanigiri is an important Buddhist site.
  • It is situated in Nagaram Mandal, Suryapet district, on the left side of the Bikkeru Rivulet, a tributary of Musi.
• According to etymology, in Sanskrit, Phani means snake, and Giri means hilltop.

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• Discovery of Earlier Excavations: a Mahastupa, apsidal Chaityagrihas, Votive stupas, pillared congregation halls, Viharas, platforms with staircases at various levels, an octagonal stupa chaitya, a 24-pillared mandapam, and a circular chaitya.
• Cultural Materials Found: Terracotta beads, semi-precious beads, iron objects, Brahmi label inscriptions, and a holy relic casket. All the cultural material dates from the 1st century BCE to the 4th century CE.
• The toranas discovered at Phanigiri show that Mahayana and Hinayana schools coexist here.

Other Important Sites In Region

Vardhamanukota, Gajula Banda, Tirumalagiri, Nagaram, Singaram, Aravapalli, Ayyavaripalli, Arlagaddagudem, and Yeleswaram.

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About the Ikshvaku Period

• The Ikshvaku dynasty (c. 225-340 A.D) was a feudatory tribe under the patronage of the great Satavahana Empire that ruled the Andhra region, the delta of the Krishna and Godavari rivers on the east coast, situating their capital at Dharanikota (present-day Amravati).