Pot of gold buried 900 years ago unearthed in a Karnataka village. Now there is a fuss over who owns it

Digging a foundation for a house in the Lakkundi village in Karnataka led to the discovery of a pot of gold, containing several ornaments. Gangavva Basavaraj Ritti of the village came across the collection sitting inside a copper vessel. Archaeologists were informed who came and analysed the gold. Lakkundi was once a historical city, having many Hindu and Jain temples and was a major economic and commercial centre. So when this gold was found, people got curious. However, the Archaeological Department has clarified that it is not a treasure but simply ornaments hidden by earlier generations. The absence of gold coins means that there might not be anything historical about the discovery. Archaeological Department Superintendent (Dharwad Circle) Ramesh Mulimani said, "The gold ornaments recovered from a copper vessel are broken and appear to be household jewellery. In earlier times, people used to bury their ornaments near the hearth in the kitchen for safety. These are such ornaments, not treasure," as quoted by Deccan Herald.

Gold discovered in Karnataka village was buried by a family

More than 150 inscriptions, temples and sculptures have been found in Lakkundi over the years. Archaeologists say this shows that it was once a prosperous residential area. Researcher Appanna Hanje believes the ornaments belong to the 11th or 12th century, based on their design. He said it weighs a total of 470 grams and can be easily distinguished from royal ornaments since the latter carry distinct designs. However, the ornaments and jewellery found at the site are regular and so likely belong to common people.

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Family demands gold back

Now the family that found the jewellery is in a pickle. Since they hold no archaeological significance, they are asking for it to be returned to them. They say that if it was buried by a family, then the jewellery belongs to them. "We do not want the gold. The government should build a house for us. If that is not possible, then, as the officials themselves say that these are not treasures, the ornaments belonging to our grandfather and great-grandfather should be returned to us," the family said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked for details on the discovery from Gadag District Superintendent of Police Rohan Jagadish.

The gold is currently in government custody, and a detailed study will be carried out by experts. State Archaeology Department expert Smita Reddy is scheduled to visit the site soon for more investigation to ascertain the exact age and period of the ornaments.