'Real-life Indiana Jones' led group of archaeologists in
find that could rewrite history of one of world's great religions
When professor Robin Coningham’s youngest son, Gus, was 5,
he was asked at school what his father did. “He works for the Buddha,” said the
boy. Which led to a bit of confusion, recalls Coningham.
But it turns out Gus was not that far off the mark. Last
week it emerged that a team led by Coningham, a professor of archaeology and
pro-vice chancellor at Durham University in northeast England, had made a
startling discovery about the date of the Buddha’s birth, one that could
rewrite the history of Buddhism.