Italian Mission Unearths Buddhist Temple That Survived Plundering in Pakistan

An ancient Buddhist temple dating from the 2nd or 3rd century BCE has been uncovered during an Italian-led archaeological excavation in the city of Barikot, in the Swat region of northern Pakistan.
The 2,000-year-old religious monument was built on an apsidal podium host to a cylindrical base that supports a stupa, or a dome-shaped structure typical of Buddhist shrines. A staircase and series of vestibule rooms which lead to a public courtyard that overlooks a road were also found.
In October 20