Raipur: An accidental discovery of gold artifacts, resembling antiquities belonging to Chalcolithic Age (4,000 years old), in a village in Chhattisgarh’s north Bastar district of Kanker has puzzled archaeologists and ethnologists here. Four beautifully crafted gold relics were found during digging of a pond in the village of Hatkondal, nearly 65 km from from district headquarters town of Kanker.
An animal figure in standing posture has been depicted prominently in two of the four artifacts. Prima facie, the image appears to be of a spotted deer. The two other objects, recovered from the spot, seem to be ear ornaments.
“Though no associated material were available along with the gold artifacts, the depiction of deer motif in them reminds one of the craft in antiquities that date back to Chalcolithic culture period which is datable to 2,000 BCE,” superintending archaeologist of Archeological Survey of India, Raipur circle, Arun T. Raj said on Friday.
Mr Raj who has submitted a report to ASI director general at New Delhi, said the location needed further exploration and documentation.
The unexpected chance discovery has evoked enthusiastic response from archaeologist circles in Chhattisgarh.
“These relics may not be very old. But the findings are very nice,” said archaeologist Dr Atul Pradhan on Facebook in reply to Mr Raj’s post of the pictures of the coins in the social media site.
Noted ethnologist Niranjan Mahwar observed that “the artifacts appear alien to Bastar art.”
