KOCHI: The archaeology department will conduct a detailed study on the large stone structures and ceramic pieces unearthed from the site of the proposed Water Metro terminal at Fort Kochi. The excavation wing of the department has filed a detailed report regarding the stone slabs found in the beach area.
The structures were found during the excavation works for the jetty construction last week. Following this, the excavation wing of the archaeology department led by Krishna Raj k visited the spot and filed a detailed report to the director of the department.
It is believed that the pieces of stone slabs are a portion of a Gothic pillar. Krishnaraj K of the excavation wing of the department said that the details regarding the relics would be revealed only through a detailed study and more excavation at the site.
“The pillars were possibly a portion of a Gothic structure dating back to Portuguese times. The preliminary investigation reveals that the blue and white Chinese ceramic pieces found during the excavation, were part of ceramic products during the Ming Dynasty, from 1368 and 1644. We have to conduct a detailed study to reach a conclusion,” he said.
E Dineshan, director of the archaeology department, said that the department needed a special licence from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct more excavation at the site.
“We have already asked Kochi Metro Rail Ltd authorities to shift the unearthed structures to a safer place. We will take a final decision on further steps within days based on the report filed by the excavation wing,” he said.
