Madurai (PTI): A seventh century sculpture of Lord Bhairava has been unearthed from the Pachaiyaru river bed at Azhagapuri near Palani in the district, officials said.

A team led by Narayanamurthy, an archaeological expert unearthed the granite stone sculpture of the Lord, which was 125 cm tall and 52 cm broad.

He said that a Shiva temple had existed in the course of the river bed and it had been either washed away or partly submerged by floods and sand over the years. An elephant chain also had been recovered from the spot, he said.