United Digital Museum, Myanmar (Burma)

Largest Bell Underwater

User Rating: 5 / 5   Star ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar Active

 
Largest Bell Underwater - 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 vote

largest bellLargest Bell Underwater

credit-www.myanmarhandicrafts.com

 

In 1480 A.D. Dhammazedi. King of the Mon People of Myanmar had a vast bell cast in bronze and given to the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon (then known as Dagon).

According to texts of the time. the bell was cast of 180.000 vies of metal which included silver and gold as well as copper and tin. (One ton equals approximately 600 viss so the bell was cast from about 300 tons ol metal). According to the History of Kings. the height was twelve cubits and the width was eight cubits. At the same time. King Dhammazedi had a small bell of 500 viss weight cast and offered to Buddha.

In 1583 Venetian traveller Gasparo Balbi visited ancient Dagon and described the Shwedagon Pagoda at length. Of the bell. he says; "I found in a faire hall a very large bell which we measured. and found to be seven paces and three hand breadths and it is full of letters from the top to the bottom but there was no Nation that could understand them.

By 1530 the Mon kings were in decline and in 1535 Lower Burma became subject to Upper Burma. At the same time. European traders and adventurers began to make contacts in Lower Burma. Il the 1590s. with the authority of the rulers in Upper Burma a Portuguese adventurer. Filipe de Brito y Nicote. set up a new trading part at Syriam and by 1600 he extended his power across the river to Dagon and the surrounding countryside.

In 1608 De Brito removed the Dhammazedi bell from the Shwedagon Paaoda. rolled it down the hill to a raft in the Pazundaung Creek and had it hauled by elephants to the river. The the bell and raft were lashed to his flagship for the journey across the river to Thanlyn (Syrian) to be melted down and made into ships cannons.

At the confluence of the Bago and Yangon Rivers off what is now known as Monkey Point. the raft broke up and the bell went to th bottom. taking Filipe de Brito's ship with it.

All accounts of the history of Rangoon insist that Dhammazedi's bell was never recovered and until the late 18008 the top of it could still be seen above water at low tide. Some witnesses today tell of being rowed out to the bell site by their elders to watch the water eddy over the top of the submerged bell. The tidal bore at Rangoon measures up to 20 feet.

A smaller bell. known as the Bodawpaya. was also taken from the Shwedagon Pagoda by British Prize Agents in 1826 and lost in the river. However. it was abandoned by the British and recovered by the local inhabitants and returned to the pagoda.

A documentary film about the search for the Dhammazedi Bell has been released on VHS and DVD in the US and is currently a top seller at books stores and Amazon.com. Master Diver Jim Blunt will be releasing a Book and several companion Videos to "Bell Beneath the Sea" soon.

A new website is planned which will display the results of three intensive salvage projects that Jim is currently completing. The total value of recoveries is valued at 4.23 million USD. New state of the art remote sensing equipment will also be featured.

Get A Tour Quote [ Free ]

Myanmar TOURISM EXPERTS love to send you a FREE estimated cost (a price quotation) for suitable tour package to you by email.
1. Where do you want to visit?

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

2. How many days do you intend to stay in Myanmar ?*
Invalid Input

3. When do you intend to visit ?*
Invalid Input

4. How many people in your group?*
Invalid Input

5. Would you request for a guide?
Invalid Input

Your Name*
Please let us know your name.

Your Email*
Please let us know your email address.

Type additional requests.


RefreshInvalid Input

Looking for a Yangon hotel, Mandalay hotel?

Bangok hotel or Singapore hotel are also available at best rates. Try a search below. Lowest prices guaranteed.

eBusinesses Listing

Shine Hill

Shine Hill - 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 vote

Shine Hill Co.. Ltd. was established in January 01. 2004 and got its license no.821 of 2003-04 from the Ministry of National Planning & Economic Development (MNPED).

Address : No.256. Room(16). 1st Floor. Mahabandoola Garden Street. Kyauktada Township. Yangon. Myanmar.
Tel : (+95-9) 73 052 993. 73 052 805. (+95-1) 22 169
Email : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website : www.shinehillmanpoweragency.com 

 

 

Myanmar AICHR

In line with the implementation of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD). particularly Article 28 (f). the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) organised the Workshop on Human Rights. Environment and Climate Change in Yangon. Myanmar on 13 to 15 September 2014.

The activity is in line with two out of seven priorities outlined by President U Thein Sein under the ASEAN Chairmanship of Myanmar.

Web : www.myanmar-aichr.org

© Copyright 1998-2021 Myanmar Net Media and Myanmars Net Software Co Ltd. All rights reserved.