Bihar sends fresh proposal seeking UNESCO’s heritage tag for 2,500-yr-old ‘Cyclopean wall’

What is the News?

The Bihar government has sent a fresh proposal to the Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) to get the Cyclopean wall listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Note: Bihar is currently home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites namely: 1) Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda and 2) Mahabodhi temple of Bodhgaya.

What is the Cyclopean Wall of Rajgir?

Cyclopean Wall is a 40 km long wall of stone built in Rajgir, Bihar.

Purpose: It was built to encircle the ancient city of Rajgir to protect it from external enemies and invaders.

Built by: It is believed to have been built in the pre-Mauryan era (before the 3rd century BC) using massive undressed stones.

Significance: The walls are mentioned in the Buddhist works. Moreover, the wall is already a Nationally protected monument under the ASI.

Why should it be included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

It is among the oldest examples of cyclopean masonry in the world.

It is believed that the Cyclopean Wall at Rajgir is similar to “Frontiers of the Roman Empire” that runs through Germany, the UK and Northern Ireland which was already included on UNESCO’s world heritage list in 1987.

Source: This post is based on the article “Bihar sends fresh proposal seeking UNESCO’s heritage tag for 2,500-yr-old ‘Cyclopean wall’” published in Indian Express on 15th April 2022.