Treasure trove of 1st Century BC artefacts found in Telangana village

A team which included Telangana’s researchers and history enthusiasts have made praiseworthy discovery of relics and artefacts which they suggest belongs to the Satavahana period from 1st Century BC to 3rd Century AD.

The members of the team belong to Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam and they carried out a survey of the area of a square mound in Cheriyal Patigadda in the State. This 50-acre plot which is square shaped has yielded a treasure trove of artefacts.

Talking to India Narrative, Sriramoju Haragopal, the Convener of KTCB revealed, “We found many yakshinis, puppets, terracotta figurines, terracotta beads, hopscotches, pottery shreds in big sizes with amazing designs and countless cracked gravels, and pebbles.”

Other startling finds included large bricks that measure 14x12x4 inches. “It is said there is a large brick structure in Patigadda and these bricks of the Satavahana period point to an ancient structure,” said Haragopal.

That people of that period were fond of jewellery is evident from the terracotta beads that have been found, including a large emerald green stone bead. “The ornaments of the people of the Satavahana period consisted of colourful stone beads and terracotta beads,” observed Haragopal.

He added that among the terracotta figurines there was a broken doll’s foot, a broken fairy head, and headless goddesses. “These figurines belong to the Ikshvaku style,” he remarked.

Apart from this, three Neolithic stones which were used as rock tools and a coin from the Satavahana period were found. The latter has Ujjain’s insignia on one side and Brahmi script on the other.

The KTCB team included Vemuganti Muralikrishna, Ahobilam Karunakar, Korivi Gopal and Kolipaka Srinivas among others.

Based on this discovery and the earlier ones in this region, Haragopal suggested that Telangana’s heritage department and Archaeological Survey of India carry out excavations of this place.