Beijing, July 13 (IANS): An ancient Buddhist garden dating to over 1,200 years has been discovered in China's Sichuan province, officials said on Monday.

Excavation of the garden, which dates to the Tang Dynasty (618 AD-907 AD), was completed earlier this month near a construction site in the provincial capital of Chengdu, Xinhua reported.

Archaeologists discovered 2,500 sq. mts of garden relics, including a 90-metre-long canal and a pond.

Yi Li, head of the excavation project, said the garden may have been part of a man-made landscape adjacent to a Buddhist temple during the same period. Many Buddhist sculptures were found near the temple during the Qing Dynasty over a 100 years ago.

Pottery and stone Buddhist sculptures were also uncovered from the site.

According to archaeologists, gardens were built in royal courts, temples and private residences during the Tang Dynasty.

Judging from the rustic quality of the pottery remains, archaeologists said the garden belonged to a temple rather than a court or private residence, where pottery tended to be more elaborate.