History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c33.s6: Prome.
History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v2.c33.s6
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Prome.
v2.c33.s6.1
If we might trust the Burmese annals, Prome¹ was founded by a King Dûttabaung as his capital as early as the year 101 of Religion, or after the Nirvâna of Buddha.² In other words, it seems to be assumed that Buddhist missionaries from the second convocation held under Kâlâsoka, in the previous year, established themselves here, and introduced the new religion into the country.³ The real political capital of the country at that time seems to have been Tagaung, half-way between Ava and Bhâmo, on the Upper Irâwadî.⁴ Prome, however, seems to have continued the religious capital till a.d. 107, when the two capitals were amalgamated, under the name of Old Pagân on the northern site, to be again transferred to New Pagân, below Ava, about the year 847.⁵ Upper Pagân seems to have been visited by Captain Hannay in a.d. 1835, and by others subsequently, and the remains are described as extensive, but too much ruined and obscured by jungle to admit of scientific investigation.
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¹ This is the European name, it is called Pyî or Prî in Burmese.—Phayre, *loc cit.* p. 10.
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² Crawfurd's ‘Embassy to Ava,’ vol. ii. p. 277. The “year of Religion” or “Buddhavarsha” era, like the Sinhalese era, dates from 543 b.c., but this reckoning appears to be of comparatively late origin, the earlier dates being reckoned from 482 b.c., so that the date here mentioned would belong to 382 b.c.—‘Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society,’ 1909, pp. 326ff. and 344f. The present Burmese Sakkarâj era commences in a.d. 639, on the sun's entrance into Aries.
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³ The holding of this convocation 100 years after the death of Buddha is doubtful, and missionaries are mentioned only in connection with the Council held by Asoka 218 years after the Nirvâna, or in 246 b.c.
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⁴ Yule, ‘Mission to Ava,’ p. 30.
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⁵ *Loc cit.* p. 32.
v2.c33.s6.7
Many of those at Prome have been photographed by the Government, and other illustrations are given in de Beylié's book, together with the dates to which they are ascribed, those of de Beylié being earlier than others. Three of the pagodas, the Baubaugyî, Payagyî and Payama, attributed to the 7th and 8th centuries, are by de Beylié put down as 6th century—certainly too early; the square temple at Lemyet-hnâ, also at Prome, is ascribed to the 9th century, that is to say, long before the introduction of the southern school of Buddhism from Thatôn.