An account from ancient histories of the building of the Pagoda states that the Buddhist king Sihadipa gave one of his ministers a sacred hair from the Buddha's head and two body relics and this minister, renowned for his goodness and faith, consulted a famous religious leader and, on his advice, chose the Botataung Mount on the bank of Yangon River at a distance one thousand tars (7,000 cubits) in a south-easterly direction from the Shwedagon Pagoda and there enshrined the sacred relics.

Encircling this stone casket were figures of nats carved out of laterite and evidently placed there to act as sentinels.

[2] One of the terracotta plaques excavated from the relic chamber bears an image of the Buddha and though affected by age and moisture it is exceptionally important.

On the reverse side are inscribed characters which are very close to the ancient Brahmani script which came from Southern India.

It is a precious evidence of ancient times and has been deciphered by U Lu Pe Win, Superintendent Archaeologist, Government of the Union of Burma, who points out that the initial word "e" from "evam vadi" shows that the script is in the manner of the ancient Mons.

[2] When this cone or stone layer was removed there was found inside another stone layer of similar shape but with a brilliant gold coating and this was more representative of a pagoda in shape while its exquisite workmanship and brilliance inspired feelings of deep religious fervor in the crowd present.