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Triterpenoid wax esters confirm Ficus religiosa in archaeological sequences within the Mayadevi temple shrine, Lumbini – the birthplace of Buddha (2025)
Journal Article
Reay, M. K., Simpson, I. A., Zhao, W., Coningham, R. A. E., Davis, C., Acharya, K. P., Manuel, M., Strickland, K., Gilliland, K., Kinnaird, T. C., & Bull, I. D. (2025). Triterpenoid wax esters confirm Ficus religiosa in archaeological sequences within the Mayadevi temple shrine, Lumbini – the birthplace of Buddha. Frontiers in Geochemistry, 3, Article 1507366. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgeoc.2025.1507366

Leaf wax biomarkers permit chemotaxonomic identification of past vegetation in archaeological contexts. At the birthplace of Buddha, Lumbini in Nepal, archaeological evidence of a multi-phase tree shrine from the earliest beginnings of Buddhism has b... Read More about Triterpenoid wax esters confirm Ficus religiosa in archaeological sequences within the Mayadevi temple shrine, Lumbini – the birthplace of Buddha.

Low Density Urbanism in Medieval Sri Lanka: Exploring the hinterland of Polonnaruva (2021)
Journal Article
Manuel, M., Gunawardana, P., Namalgamuwa, H., Coningham, R., Davis, C., Krishnan, K., Senanayake, J., & Rammungoda, U. (2021). Low Density Urbanism in Medieval Sri Lanka: Exploring the hinterland of Polonnaruva. Asian Perspectives: The Journal of Archaeology for Asia and the Pacific, 60(2), 248-271. https://doi.org/10.1353/asi.2021.0002

A hinterland survey at Polonnaruva has revealed that a planned pluralistic landscape developed during the latter part of the Early Medieval period (A.D. 600-1200). This represents a significant shift in settlement pattern from the organically derived... Read More about Low Density Urbanism in Medieval Sri Lanka: Exploring the hinterland of Polonnaruva.

Archaeological Investigations at Dohani and Karma, two newly identified fortified enclosures in Kapilbastu District, Nepal: Preliminary results from geophysical survey, mapping and auger coring (2020)
Journal Article
Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Gyawali, B., Davis, C., Simpson, I., Manuel, M., Hale, D., Voke, P., Kinnaird, T., & Woolston-Houshold, M. (2020). Archaeological Investigations at Dohani and Karma, two newly identified fortified enclosures in Kapilbastu District, Nepal: Preliminary results from geophysical survey, mapping and auger coring. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 204, 25-57

Pilot Geophysical Survey in Handigaon, Kathmandu (2019)
Journal Article
Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Davis, C., Hale, D., Manuel, M., Villis, R., & Watson, L. (online). Pilot Geophysical Survey in Handigaon, Kathmandu. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 19-37

The antiquity of Jaffna Fort: new evidence from post-disaster archaeological investigations in northern Sri Lanka (2019)
Journal Article
Davis, C., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Pushparatnam, P., Schmidt, A., & Manuel, M. (2019). The antiquity of Jaffna Fort: new evidence from post-disaster archaeological investigations in northern Sri Lanka. Antiquity, 93(368), Article e13. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2019.30

Post-disaster archaeological investigations at Jaffna Fort have revealed material demonstrating pre-colonial contact, shedding new light on the importance of the site in Indian Ocean trade and communications networks before European occupation.

Archaeological investigations at Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, 2014-2016 (2018)
Journal Article
Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Manuel, M., Davis, C., Kunwar, R., Simpson, I., Strickland, K., Smaghur, E., Tremblay, J., & Lafortune-Bernard, A. (2018). Archaeological investigations at Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, 2014-2016. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 197-198, 5-59

The sustainability of ancient water control techniques in Iran: an overview (2017)
Journal Article
Manuel, M., Lightfoot, D., & Fattahi, M. (2018). The sustainability of ancient water control techniques in Iran: an overview. Water History, 10(1), 13-30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12685-017-0200-7

Qanats are a traditional source of water management that exists throughout much of the Middle East, and extending into North Africa, Spain and South Asia. In particular, they have played an important role in managing the supply of water throughout Ir... Read More about The sustainability of ancient water control techniques in Iran: an overview.

The Earliest Buddhist Shrine: Excavating the Birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini (Nepal) (2013)
Journal Article
Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Strickland, K., Davis, C., Manuel, M., Simpson, I., …Sanderson, D. (2013). The Earliest Buddhist Shrine: Excavating the Birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini (Nepal). Antiquity, 87(338), 1104-1123. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00049899

Key locations identified with the lives of important religious founders have often been extensively remodelled in later periods, entraining the destruction of many of the earlier remains. Recent UNESCO-sponsored work at the major Buddhist centre of L... Read More about The Earliest Buddhist Shrine: Excavating the Birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini (Nepal).