Explorers in Telangana recover artefacts, link village site to Satavahana period
Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam will request the Department of Heritage Telangana and the Archaeological Survey of India to take up a detailed survey and excavation of the site thought to be about 2,000 years old.
Local enthusiasts discover significant historical artefacts and relics. (Express Photo) Field explorations by a small group of history enthusiasts and local researchers in Telangana have led to the identification of a sizeable repository of artefacts and relics that are believed to belong to the Satavahana period, between the first century BC and the third century AD.
Having established the site’s historical and archaeological importance through mere surface explorations, Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam (new Telangana history team) is set to request the Department of Heritage Telangana and the Archaeological Survey of India to take up a detailed survey and excavation. Experts consider the site to be on par with another protected site, Kondapur, one of the capitals of the Satavahanas.
Large-sized bricks measuring 14 X 12 X 4 inches. (Express Photo)
The location is the Patigadda, meaning the ancient village area, of Cherial village in Siddipet district. Across a 50-acre, square-shaped plot on the outskirts of the village, field researchers have retrieved several terracotta figurines of dolls, yakshini puppets, pottery shreds of different designs, cracked gravels, beads and pebbles and even a coin from the Satavahana period. The coin bears the insignia of Ujjain on one side and Brahmi script on the other.
They also recovered bricks measuring 14 X 12 X 4 inches. “These large bricks and figures of goddesses belong to the Ikshvaku as well as Satavahana periods. We also found three hand-axe heads or rock tools belonging to the neolithic period,” says the group’s convener, Sriramoju Haragopal, a retired headmaster .
Figures of goddesses belong to Ikshvaku as well as Satavahana periods. (Express Photo)
“A large, emerald green stone bead was also among the beads found. Such colourful stone beads and terracotta beads were part of ornaments during the Satavahana period. The terracotta figurines include a broken doll’s foot, a broken fairy head and a headless goddesses. These figurines belong to the Ikshvaku style,” explains Haragopal. The exploration was led by group members Vemuganti Muralikrishna, Ahobilam Karunakar and Kolipaka Srinivas.
Earlier, the group’s field researchers had found similar artefacts such as beads, pots, victory plaques and inscriptions from the Rashtrakuta period in the Patigadda of nearby Akunuru village. “Since we have proof of such a large number of historical artefacts to imply the archaeological importance of the place, we would request the state department and the Archaeological Survey of India to proceed with further excavations,” he adds.
A large emerald green stone bead was also among the beads. (Express Photo)
According to archaeologist Dr E Sivanagi Reddy, the site at Cherial belongs to the early historic period and is about 2,000 years old. “The site has huge archaeological potential and can be considered on par with Kondapur, in Sangareddy, which was a fortified city and one of the capitals of the Satavahanas,” he tells indianexpress.com. Since these artefacts surfaced at Cherial, he adds that the site needs to be notified and protected. Officials from the Department of Heritage Telangana refused to comment.
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