"earliest"

#13304676

11 February 2026

Professor Robin Coningham, UNESCO Chair on Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage at Durham University and co-director of the excavations, attends a press conference in Kathmandu, Nepal, on February 11, 2026. A collaborative team of national and international experts from the Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal, Lumbini Development Trust, and Durham University's UNESCO Chair uncovers Nepal's first example of an apsidal Buddhist temple within the ancient city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, one of the best-preserved Early Historic cities and hinterlands in South Asia. A clear category of temple in South Asia, they are called apsidal as they have a curved end wall that defines the religious focus of the monument, with an entrance platform at the other end. The earliest known examples are cut into rock, with later monuments constructed out of stone, timber, or brick. The monument revealed at Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, the first discovered in Nepal, follows this exact layout but is unusual in its location. It is a rare example of an apsidal temple constructed within a city rather than in a separate religious complex. The newly discovered apsidal structure is built near the center of the city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu over the remains of the city's earlier palatial complex. This central walled complex defines an area of 100 by 100 meters through a massive brick wall measuring 1.5 meters wide. After its abandonment, the complex becomes a focus for veneration, with Buddhist monasteries built over its ruined monumental walls. It is within the courtyard of one of these monasteries that the apsidal temple is built, enshrining and respecting an earlier Buddhist stupa within the earlier monastery.

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#13304677

11 February 2026

Archaeologists from the Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal, Lumbini Development Trust, and Durham University hold a press conference in Kathmandu, Nepal, on February 11, 2026, announcing the uncovering of the first apsidal Buddhist temple in Nepal. A collaborative team of national and international experts from the Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal, Lumbini Development Trust, and Durham University's UNESCO Chair uncover Nepal's first example of an apsidal Buddhist temple within the ancient city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, one of the best-preserved Early Historic cities and hinterlands in South Asia. A clear category of temple in South Asia, they are called apsidal as they have a curved end wall that defines the religious focus of the monument, with an entrance platform at the other end. The earliest known examples are cut into rock, with later monuments constructed out of stone, timber, or brick. The monument revealed at Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, the first discovered in Nepal, follows this exact layout but is unusual in its location. It is a rare example of an apsidal temple constructed within a city rather than in a separate religious complex. The newly discovered apsidal structure is built near the center of the city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu over the remains of the city's earlier palatial complex. This central walled complex defines an area of 100 by 100 meters through a massive brick wall measuring 1.5 meters wide. After its abandonment, the complex becomes a focus for veneration, with Buddhist monasteries built over its ruined monumental walls. It is within the courtyard of one of these monasteries that the apsidal temple is built, enshrining and respecting an earlier Buddhist stupa within the earlier monastery.

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#13304678

11 February 2026

Professor Robin Coningham, UNESCO Chair on Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage at Durham University and co-director of the excavations, attends a press conference in Kathmandu, Nepal, on February 11, 2026. A collaborative team of national and international experts from the Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal, Lumbini Development Trust, and Durham University's UNESCO Chair uncovers Nepal's first example of an apsidal Buddhist temple within the ancient city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, one of the best-preserved Early Historic cities and hinterlands in South Asia. A clear category of temple in South Asia, they are called apsidal as they have a curved end wall that defines the religious focus of the monument, with an entrance platform at the other end. The earliest known examples are cut into rock, with later monuments constructed out of stone, timber, or brick. The monument revealed at Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, the first discovered in Nepal, follows this exact layout but is unusual in its location. It is a rare example of an apsidal temple constructed within a city rather than in a separate religious complex. The newly discovered apsidal structure is built near the center of the city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu over the remains of the city's earlier palatial complex. This central walled complex defines an area of 100 by 100 meters through a massive brick wall measuring 1.5 meters wide. After its abandonment, the complex becomes a focus for veneration, with Buddhist monasteries built over its ruined monumental walls. It is within the courtyard of one of these monasteries that the apsidal temple is built, enshrining and respecting an earlier Buddhist stupa within the earlier monastery.

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#13304679

11 February 2026

Professor Robin Coningham, UNESCO Chair on Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage at Durham University and co-director of the excavations, briefs about the findings during a press conference in Kathmandu, Nepal, on February 11, 2026. A collaborative team of national and international experts from the Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal, Lumbini Development Trust, and Durham University's UNESCO Chair uncovers Nepal's first example of an apsidal Buddhist temple within the ancient city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, one of the best-preserved Early Historic cities and hinterlands in South Asia. A clear category of temple in South Asia, they are called apsidal as they have a curved end wall that defines the religious focus of the monument, with an entrance platform at the other end. The earliest known examples are cut into rock, with later monuments constructed out of stone, timber, or brick. The monument revealed at Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, the first discovered in Nepal, follows this exact layout but is unusual in its location. It is a rare example of an apsidal temple constructed within a city rather than in a separate religious complex. The newly discovered apsidal structure is built near the center of the city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu over the remains of the city's earlier palatial complex. This central walled complex defines an area of 100 by 100 meters through a massive brick wall measuring 1.5 meters wide. After its abandonment, the complex becomes a focus for veneration, with Buddhist monasteries built over its ruined monumental walls. It is within the courtyard of one of these monasteries that the apsidal temple is built, enshrining and respecting an earlier Buddhist stupa within the earlier monastery.

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#13304680

11 February 2026

Professor Robin Coningham, UNESCO Chair on Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage at Durham University and co-director of the excavations, briefs about the findings during a press conference in Kathmandu, Nepal, on February 11, 2026. A collaborative team of national and international experts from the Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal, Lumbini Development Trust, and Durham University's UNESCO Chair uncovers Nepal's first example of an apsidal Buddhist temple within the ancient city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, one of the best-preserved Early Historic cities and hinterlands in South Asia. A clear category of temple in South Asia, they are called apsidal as they have a curved end wall that defines the religious focus of the monument, with an entrance platform at the other end. The earliest known examples are cut into rock, with later monuments constructed out of stone, timber, or brick. The monument revealed at Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, the first discovered in Nepal, follows this exact layout but is unusual in its location. It is a rare example of an apsidal temple constructed within a city rather than in a separate religious complex. The newly discovered apsidal structure is built near the center of the city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu over the remains of the city's earlier palatial complex. This central walled complex defines an area of 100 by 100 meters through a massive brick wall measuring 1.5 meters wide. After its abandonment, the complex becomes a focus for veneration, with Buddhist monasteries built over its ruined monumental walls. It is within the courtyard of one of these monasteries that the apsidal temple is built, enshrining and respecting an earlier Buddhist stupa within the earlier monastery.

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#13304681

11 February 2026

Professor Robin Coningham, UNESCO Chair on Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage at Durham University and co-director of the excavations, briefs about the findings during a press conference in Kathmandu, Nepal, on February 11, 2026. A collaborative team of national and international experts from the Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal, Lumbini Development Trust, and Durham University's UNESCO Chair uncovers Nepal's first example of an apsidal Buddhist temple within the ancient city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, one of the best-preserved Early Historic cities and hinterlands in South Asia. A clear category of temple in South Asia, they are called apsidal as they have a curved end wall that defines the religious focus of the monument, with an entrance platform at the other end. The earliest known examples are cut into rock, with later monuments constructed out of stone, timber, or brick. The monument revealed at Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, the first discovered in Nepal, follows this exact layout but is unusual in its location. It is a rare example of an apsidal temple constructed within a city rather than in a separate religious complex. The newly discovered apsidal structure is built near the center of the city of Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu over the remains of the city's earlier palatial complex. This central walled complex defines an area of 100 by 100 meters through a massive brick wall measuring 1.5 meters wide. After its abandonment, the complex becomes a focus for veneration, with Buddhist monasteries built over its ruined monumental walls. It is within the courtyard of one of these monasteries that the apsidal temple is built, enshrining and respecting an earlier Buddhist stupa within the earlier monastery.

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#12678164

26 August 2025

Nepali sugarcane farmers from various districts protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 26, 2025, demanding the government scrap the decision to halve the subsidy and make payments for due amounts at the earliest. Cane farmers warn of blocking highways and continuing protests in Kathmandu if their demands are not met by August 30. On July 7, the Cabinet halves the subsidy to Rs35 per quintal, citing growing pressure on the treasury. The decision comes amid farmers' complaints that production costs have surged sharply. Although the agriculture ministry requests the continuation of the full subsidy, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office reject the proposal. Last November, the government sets the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs585 per quintal, only Rs20 more than in the previous year. Farmers say they sell their harvests hoping that the promised subsidy will come their way.

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#12678165

26 August 2025

Nepali sugarcane farmers from various districts protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 26, 2025, demanding the government scrap the decision to halve the subsidy and make payments for due amounts at the earliest. Cane farmers warn of blocking highways and continuing protests in Kathmandu if their demands are not met by August 30. On July 7, the Cabinet halves the subsidy to Rs35 per quintal, citing growing pressure on the treasury. The decision comes amid farmers' complaints that production costs have surged sharply. Although the agriculture ministry requests the continuation of the full subsidy, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office reject the proposal. Last November, the government sets the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs585 per quintal, only Rs20 more than in the previous year. Farmers say they sell their harvests hoping that the promised subsidy will come their way.

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#12678166

26 August 2025

Nepali sugarcane farmers from various districts protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 26, 2025, demanding the government scrap the decision to halve the subsidy and make payments for due amounts at the earliest. Cane farmers warn of blocking highways and continuing protests in Kathmandu if their demands are not met by August 30. On July 7, the Cabinet halves the subsidy to Rs35 per quintal, citing growing pressure on the treasury. The decision comes amid farmers' complaints that production costs have surged sharply. Although the agriculture ministry requests the continuation of the full subsidy, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office reject the proposal. Last November, the government sets the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs585 per quintal, only Rs20 more than in the previous year. Farmers say they sell their harvests hoping that the promised subsidy will come their way.

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#12678167

26 August 2025

Nepali sugarcane farmers from various districts protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 26, 2025, demanding the government scrap the decision to halve the subsidy and make payments for due amounts at the earliest. Cane farmers warn of blocking highways and continuing protests in Kathmandu if their demands are not met by August 30. On July 7, the Cabinet halves the subsidy to Rs35 per quintal, citing growing pressure on the treasury. The decision comes amid farmers' complaints that production costs have surged sharply. Although the agriculture ministry requests the continuation of the full subsidy, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office reject the proposal. Last November, the government sets the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs585 per quintal, only Rs20 more than in the previous year. Farmers say they sell their harvests hoping that the promised subsidy will come their way.

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#12678168

26 August 2025

Nepali sugarcane farmers from various districts protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 26, 2025, demanding the government scrap the decision to halve the subsidy and make payments for due amounts at the earliest. Cane farmers warn of blocking highways and continuing protests in Kathmandu if their demands are not met by August 30. On July 7, the Cabinet halves the subsidy to Rs35 per quintal, citing growing pressure on the treasury. The decision comes amid farmers' complaints that production costs have surged sharply. Although the agriculture ministry requests the continuation of the full subsidy, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office reject the proposal. Last November, the government sets the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs585 per quintal, only Rs20 more than in the previous year. Farmers say they sell their harvests hoping that the promised subsidy will come their way.

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#12678169

26 August 2025

Nepali sugarcane farmers from various districts protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 26, 2025, demanding the government scrap the decision to halve the subsidy and make payments for due amounts at the earliest. Cane farmers warn of blocking highways and continuing protests in Kathmandu if their demands are not met by August 30. On July 7, the Cabinet halves the subsidy to Rs35 per quintal, citing growing pressure on the treasury. The decision comes amid farmers' complaints that production costs have surged sharply. Although the agriculture ministry requests the continuation of the full subsidy, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office reject the proposal. Last November, the government sets the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs585 per quintal, only Rs20 more than in the previous year. Farmers say they sell their harvests hoping that the promised subsidy will come their way.

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#12678170

26 August 2025

Nepali sugarcane farmers from various districts protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 26, 2025, demanding the government scrap the decision to halve the subsidy and make payments for due amounts at the earliest. Cane farmers warn of blocking highways and continuing protests in Kathmandu if their demands are not met by August 30. On July 7, the Cabinet halves the subsidy to Rs35 per quintal, citing growing pressure on the treasury. The decision comes amid farmers' complaints that production costs have surged sharply. Although the agriculture ministry requests the continuation of the full subsidy, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office reject the proposal. Last November, the government sets the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs585 per quintal, only Rs20 more than in the previous year. Farmers say they sell their harvests hoping that the promised subsidy will come their way.

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#12678171

26 August 2025

Nepali sugarcane farmers from various districts protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 26, 2025, demanding the government scrap the decision to halve the subsidy and make payments for due amounts at the earliest. Cane farmers warn of blocking highways and continuing protests in Kathmandu if their demands are not met by August 30. On July 7, the Cabinet halves the subsidy to Rs35 per quintal, citing growing pressure on the treasury. The decision comes amid farmers' complaints that production costs have surged sharply. Although the agriculture ministry requests the continuation of the full subsidy, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office reject the proposal. Last November, the government sets the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs585 per quintal, only Rs20 more than in the previous year. Farmers say they sell their harvests hoping that the promised subsidy will come their way.

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#12678172

26 August 2025

Nepali sugarcane farmers from various districts protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 26, 2025, demanding the government scrap the decision to halve the subsidy and make payments for due amounts at the earliest. Cane farmers warn of blocking highways and continuing protests in Kathmandu if their demands are not met by August 30. On July 7, the Cabinet halves the subsidy to Rs35 per quintal, citing growing pressure on the treasury. The decision comes amid farmers' complaints that production costs have surged sharply. Although the agriculture ministry requests the continuation of the full subsidy, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office reject the proposal. Last November, the government sets the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs585 per quintal, only Rs20 more than in the previous year. Farmers say they sell their harvests hoping that the promised subsidy will come their way.

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#12678173

26 August 2025

Nepali sugarcane farmers from various districts protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 26, 2025, demanding the government scrap the decision to halve the subsidy and make payments for due amounts at the earliest. Cane farmers warn of blocking highways and continuing protests in Kathmandu if their demands are not met by August 30. On July 7, the Cabinet halves the subsidy to Rs35 per quintal, citing growing pressure on the treasury. The decision comes amid farmers' complaints that production costs have surged sharply. Although the agriculture ministry requests the continuation of the full subsidy, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Office reject the proposal. Last November, the government sets the minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs585 per quintal, only Rs20 more than in the previous year. Farmers say they sell their harvests hoping that the promised subsidy will come their way.

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