JOIN USRare, unique artefacts on display at exhibition
The exhibition being held at the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage at Dasara Exhibition Grounds, here, gives visitors a glimpse into the lesser known aspects of history of the region.
Among the important relics displayed are artefacts belonging to various periods, excavated primarily at Talkad and Sannathi of Karnataka.
One of the primary attractions at the exhibition is a terracotta Roman coin mould, which indicates that fake coins were minted at a foundry at Talkad. There are also on display, copper coins belonging to the period of King Narasimha III. The coins, comparable in size to the 25 paise coin, has figurines which look like bulls and elephants.
Among other interesting objects are beads made of stones such as beriyl, carnelian, chalcedony, crystal-quartz, fuchsite and others. Explaining the relevance of the stones, Gowda N L, archaeologist of the Department said that chalcedony stone was found only in Afghanistan. “These stones excavated from Talkad shows that rulers of the region had trade relations with people from Afghanistan too,” he added.
Exhibition has also displayed several shards of glass bangles excavated from the site, along with the remains of several hukkahs, indicating that smoking was a practice found even during the period of Gangas.
Rusted iron objects, which are remains of various tools, carefully excavated from the site, are also on display.
Pictures of Hampi
Another major attraction at the exhibition is the display of photographs of Hampi, captured by three different photographers, over a period of 160 years. With three photographs of a particular place displayed together and captured in the same frame, the exhibition gives a peep into how the historic Hampi fared in almost two centuries.
Hampi was photographed first by Alexander J Greenlaw, a military officer of the British Raj in 1856. John Gollings visited the site in 1983 and took photographs in the same frames as of Greenlaw. In 2008, R Gopal and N Muralidhar did the same.
Menus for guests provided by Wadiyars during Dasara celebrations, invitations for ceremonies and programmes organised by Wadiyars; and letters of communication between the kings and other officials of the empire are also prominent at the exhibition.
The exhibition is being held as part of International Museum Day celebrations.