page_title: Hanlin, Burma
section_title: Archaeological finds
hierarchical_section_title: Hanlin, Burma / Archaeological finds
caption_attribution_description: silver coins of the Pyu
context_page_description: Hanlin is a village near Shwebo in the Sagaing Division of Myanmar. In the era of the Pyu city-states it was a city of considerable significance, possibly a local capital replacing Sri Ksetra. Today the modest village is noted for its hot springs and archaeological sites. Hanlin, Beikthano, and Sri Ksetra, the ancient cities of the Pyu Kingdom were built on the irrigated fields of the dry zone of the Ayeyawady River basin. They were inscribed by UNESCO on its List of World Heritage Sites in Southeast Asia in May 2014 for their archaeological heritage traced back more than 1,000 years to between 200 BC and 900 AD.
context_section_description: Archaeological excavations have been carried out by the Department of Archaeological National Museum and Library during 1904–05, 1929–30, 1962 to 1967, and from 1963 to 2012. Thirty three mounds have been excavated so far in Hanlin City, in the southern and northern areas of Shwegugyi Pagoda, and in the old Halin town. These have unearthed structures of palace fortresses, cremation grounds, manufacturing sites, brick monuments of Buddhist stupas, walls in different sizes, and water management structures. Also unearthed were eleven human skeletons in fossilized condition.
  Archaeological excavations at Hanlin village have also unearthed a city enclosed within walls which have twelve gates and show the tell tale marks of a moat. This city is in a rectangular shape and has an area of 541.4 hectares (1,338 acres). It is situated on an undulating terrain of volcanic material at a distance of about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from the Ayeyarwady River and 27 kilometres (17 mi) from the Mu River to its western side. In the explored area, hot water springs have been found which are stated to have curative properties. A particular find of interest is at excavation site designated HL-22 where three sets of standing stone slabs dating to the 2nd AD are indicative of the megalithic culture. The Southern Gateway has been dated to about 200 AD.
  At a museum near the archaeological site of Shwegugyi there are exhibits which show archaeological finds from excavations including: human skeletal remains, along with pottery, jewelry, and bronze rattles laid in graves in a series of rows, found below ground. Carbon dating of some of the earliest grave finds indicate that they are almost 5,000 years old. The museum also has exhibits of finds of: silver coins, gold ornaments, bricks with inscriptions of texts, and many antiquities recovered from the Hanlin sites. The Pyu alphabet with links to Sanskrit and the present day Bamar language, inscribed on a tomb stone, is also on display.
caption: Silver coins found at Hanlin
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