Historic Integrity and Prestige of

[OKKAR66127@xxxxxxx]

Historic Integrity and Prestige of the Nation
Perspectives, The NLM, Tuesday, 24 March 1998

Though it is intricate and needs professional skill to study archaeology
and anthropology, Myanmar archeologists, anthropologists and scholars from
the fields of intertwined studies and officials of the Office of Strategic
Studies have accomplished an epoch-making excavation at the site of an
ancient cemetery near Nyaunggan Village in Budalin Township, Sagaing Division.

Today archaeological excavations have shed much new light on the
civilization of Myanmar as a result of the current leadership's
unprecedented support and encouragement to recall the high standard of
civilized ancient Myanmar people who lived thousands of years ago.

The newest finds including skeletons of human beings and animals, many
bronze utensils and weapons, stone rings, weapons, beads and earthen pots
presumably the personal effects of the Bronze Age people were unearthed
from an ancient cemetery near Nyaunggan Village in Budalin Township of
Upper Myanmar.

It is not the first time such fossilized remains and objects were
excavated, for the remains of Amphipithecus primate were discovered near
Mogaung Village in Pale Township of Pondaung-Ponnya region in the same
division only a year ago.

But the discovery made in Budalin Township is the first to prove that a
Bronze Age civilization flourished in Myanmar.  Considering the relation
between the finds from Budalin Township and the specimen of Pondaung
primate, it can be concluded that Myanmar people originated from the Stone
Age and they still survived in the Bronze Age.

The latest finds show that people who dwelt in the place could use bronze
weapons and knew pottery, and it is likely that Myanmar civilization has
existed for long throughout history and developed up to the present stage.

The other day, these finds were handed over to the Ministry of Culture for
further research and display.  At that ceremony, Chairman of the Central
Committee for Preservation of Myanma Cultural Heritage Secretary-1 of the
State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt noted that a study of
the ancient finds from Budalin Township shows that a civilization earlier
than Pyu era flourished in Myanmar and it is certain that the bronze
weapons found together with skeletons of human beings were used by the
deceased.

There is a long way to go to furnish firm evidence and provide enough facts
on these finds but they reflect early civilization in Myanmar and enhance
historic integrity and prestige of the nation.



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