An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c29.219

v2.c29.219

**Banavasi**, Dt N. Kanara, near Sirsi (14°36′; 74°54′), one of the ancient capitals of Karnataka, the mound enclosed by a huge brick fortification. The site had yielded coins of Cuṭukaḍnanda and Muḍānanda along with pot in types of Yajñasrī Sātakarṇi. A medieval temple with some Kadamba features stands on the bank of the Varada. A number of mounds spread over 1 sq km, some of them with Sātavāhana brick structures, are noticeable. The Dept of Ancient Indian History and Arch., Univ. of Mysore, in collaboration with the state Dept of Arch. undertook excavation here (*IAR 1970-1*, p. 29). The original brick (40 × 8 cm) fortification on a rubble foundation, surrounded by a deep moat and the river, is seen to have undergone repairs at least twice with brickbats and large laterite blocks. Of the mounds existing on the n. and the s.-w. of the Madhukeśvara temple the one locally known as Donigudda ('boat mound') was taken up for digging. This (BNV-1) was excavated down to the natural soil and exposed an apsidal temple belonging to the Sātavāhana period. The building consists of parallel walls with a square platform of baked brick (43 × 22 × 7 cm). A number of terracotta tiles from the floor level indicate that the floor was paved with them. The existence of a *caitya* is mentioned by Hiuen Tsang who visited the site in the 7th century.