The Bagan dynasty, the first dynasty in the history of Myanmar, flourished from the 11th to 13 centuries and built the foundation of Myanmar culture. Buddhism was introduced throughout the coastal region, people endeavored to build pagodas in order to perform religious practices. Even under succeeding dynasties, Bagan prospered as a key point for water traffic. Many pagodas were maintained by successive kings. Even today, Bagan is loved by many people both at home and abroad as the hometown of Myanmar culture, and efforts for conservation are continuing. THE BEGINNING OF THE BAGAN DYNASTY The power of the kingdom spread throughout the Ayeyarwady River, which is the main course for water transport, and has sustained with the support of its flourishing grain-producing regions. The influence of the Bagan dynasty extended to the coastal area, and various cultures were spread throughout the country by the Mon people, who inherited advanced cultures from India as a result of maritime intercourse. The Introduction of Buddhism and scriptures by the famous monk Shin Arahan are representative of this. Monuments of the early Bagan era, such as inscriptions of the Mon language; Manuha temple, which was founded by Mon king; and pagodas characterized by the style of the Pyu culture that flourished before Bagan, are the best examples of cultural exchanges of the time. DEVELOPMENT OF THE CULTURE OF BUILDING PAGODAS The use of Burmese script had also spread, and the pagoda builders started inscribing the pagodas to convey information to future generations. The name and title of the builder, the details of the land and items donated accompanying the pagoda were written. These inscriptions are valuable clues to understand Bagan society of that time. DECLINE OF THE DYNASTY The decisive blow was the war with the Yuan dynasty of China. In the Yunnan area, the battle forc