sat morning thoughts on the news

The tsunami that struck Southeast Asia last December 26 is now making waves for archeologists. One area hit by the tsunami was the town of Mahabalipuram in southern India. When the large waves receded from the shore there, they uncovered what appeared to be relics from an ancient port city. Experts think the city may have been covered for centuries.

The uncovered objects include two temple walls and the carvings of an elephant, a horse, armed warriors, and two lions. Archeologists think the six-foot granite lions may have guarded the port city. One lion sits with a watchful eye. The other appears poised to pounce.

A fisherman clinging for his life atop an arch at the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram was the first to spot the ancient treasures. Once he was rescued, he told Indian authorities about what he saw. "After the tsunami, locals reported many small structures buried deep in the sand," said Sudesh Kumar, of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI). "The fishermen immediately converted them into shrines and started praying there. They saw the sculptures as some sign from God," she said.