Residents of Kalaidhoo island in Laamu atoll have discovered buddist in the courtyard of the island's mosque.

According to sources, two small Buddhist statues were found while island locals were digging a foundation to expand the mosque.

One statue is one foot long while the other eight inches and look to be from the Maldives’ pre-Islamic era. The smallest one resembles the Buddhism’s founder Gautama Buddha.

The statues are now under the care of the island council, which has contacted the heritage department.

Laamu atoll is known to contain many relics of Maldives’ pre-Islamic civilization.