증평 남하리 사지는 1994년 충청대학교 박물관 지표조사 결과 신라시대 기와가 출토되어, 충북에서 문화재로 지정되어 있는 청주 흥덕사지(고려), 충주 미륵대원지(고려), 충주 숭선사지(고려) 등보다 이른 시기에 창건된 사찰임이 밝혀졌다. 남하리사지 내 소재하고 있는 남하리사지 마애불상군은 학술대회를 통해 신라 북진 교통로 상 7세기에 조성된 석불임이 밝혀졌으며, 따라서 남하리사지 역시 신라시대에 의해 창건되었을 가능성이 매우 높다.
The Namha-ri Temple Site in Jeungpyeong was discovered in 1994 when roof tiles dating from the Silla period were excavated during a surface survey conducted by the Chung Cheong National University Museum. The results of the survey revealed that this temple was built earlier than other temple sites in Chungcheongbuk-do Province that have been designated as cultural heritages, including the Heungdeoksa Temple Site in Cheongju, and the Mireukdaewon Stone Temple and Sungseonsa Temple Sites in Chungju, all of which date from the Goryeo period. Recent research has confirmed that the Rock-carved Buddhas at the Namha-ri Temple Site were built in the seventh century at a point on the northern expansion route of Silla. Therefore, it is highly probable that the Namha-ri Temple Site was also founded during the Silla period.