Archaeology dept may go for fresh test of Annigeri skulls

The move comes after gaps were found following test reports submitted by the Institute of Physics in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and by the US-based Beta Analytic company.

Officials at the State Archaeology and Museum department said the matter of conducting another test was being discussed at the higher official level, and the agency for the fresh testing was likely to be chosen shortly.

The department is contemplating to involve the Forensic Science Laboratory in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, or once again approach Beta Analytic, which had declared that the skulls were 181 years old.

The department has already contacted the Forensic Science Laboratory and is collecting information on whether they have the required state-of-the-art technology or not. If they express inability to conduct the test, the department is ready to approach Beta Analytic for a fresh test, they said.

Dentistry
Officials said the department would this time round send the tooth samples instead of bone samples for a fresh test. Last time, only bone samples were sent for tests. A possible contamination of the bones may affect the process of carbon dating, the officials say.

Tooth samples in human remains are free from any such contamination and their testing may help reach a definite conclusion regarding the age of the skulls and unravel the mystery surrounding them. In several cases, tooth sample tests have produced more
accurate results, the officials said.