TheSiyot Caves, sometimes referred to as theKateshwar Buddhist Caves,[1] are fiverock-cut caves located near Siyot village in the Lakpat Taluka ofKutch district,Gujarat, India.[2] Thecaves are believed to belong to thefirst centuryAD.[3]
The main cave has east facing sanctum, ambulatory and space divisions which suggests aShiva temple from the first or second century.[1] The cave was used by Buddhists later which can be concluded based on the seals found herein and the traces ofBrahmi inscriptions. Other caves are simple single cells which were probably the part of eighty Buddhist caves located near the mouth of theIndus River as reported byXuanzang in seventh century.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Local people believe that these caves were used bydacoits to hide things looted from people in past.[13]
Excavations in 1988–89 recovered clay seals engraved withBuddha images in variousmudras and seals engraved with late Brahmi andDevnagari inscriptions. Other findings were copper rings,Gadhaiya coins, terracottaNandi with bell and chain, different types of earthen wares likeSurahi. Based onstratigraphic evidence, it is established that the site was occupied by Buddhist before it was again occupied by Shaivaites around twelfth or thirteenth century.[1][14] The site was repaired after2001 Gujarat earthquake.[15]
