'Golden' find near Hampi temple

Kempe Gowda, Senior Conservation Officer of the ASI, said the metal pieces were discovered while the ground was being dug for construction of a drinking water tank for tourists.

The scraps of metal appear to be pieces of a golden overlay prepared for the idol of Balakrishna and have designs of anklets and other ornaments crafted on them.

‘Needs thorough study’

The extremely thin metal sheet could possibly belong to the era of the Vijayanagara Empire. Their value and age could only  be determined through a study, officials said.

Tourists and villagers from surrounding villages flocked in large numbers to the temple to catch a glimpse of the archaelogical discovery.