History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c33.s5.1

v2.c33.s5.1

The earliest really authentic notice we have of these countries is in the 'Mahâwansa.' It is there related that, after the third convocation—B.C. 246—Asoka despatched two missionaries, Sono and Uttaro, to Suvarna-Bhûmi, the Golden Land, to carry the glad tidings of the religion of the Vanquisher.¹ It is now perfectly ascertained that this place was almost certainly the Golden Chersonese of classical geographers, situated on the Sittang river, and now called Thatôn, about forty miles' travelling distance north from Martaban.¹ Since it ceased to be a place of importance, either by the silting up of the river or the elevation of the land, it is now no longer a port; but there can be little doubt that for some centuries before and after the Christian Era it was the emporium through which a very considerable portion of the trade between China and the western world was carried on. The line of passage was apparently across the Bay of Bengal from the deltas of the Krishnâ and Godâvarî; and it was to this trade route that we probably owe the rise and importance of Amarâvatî till it was perhaps superseded by the direct sea-voyage from Gujarât and the west coast of India in the 6th century. The place was sacked and entirely destroyed, according to Sir A. Phayre, about A.D. 1050, by Anaurahtâ, King of Pegu; but long before that time it had been dwindling, from the growing importance of Pegu or Hansâwatî, which was founded about A.D. 633.²