Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 16: When executing certain works in the premises of Fisheries Research Centre at Hoige Bazar in the city, two stone inscriptions were found. One of them belongs to the 11th century. The other is believed to be from the Portuguese era.

Officials of the department of archaeology, Mysuru, have checked the inscriptions and obtained copies.

As per preliminary information, one of the inscriptions has about 11 lines. The script used appears to be of Halegannada. The language used in the other inscription appears like Portuguese. These inscriptions need to be further scrutinized and studied, opined by assistant inscription experts, Sridevi Tejaswini and Veera Manikantan.

Under the Smart City Project, skill development and safety training centre are being built in the fisheries college here. When the old building was demolished for the training centre building and digging was underway, the stone inscriptions which are about five feet long each were found. Dean of the college, Dr A Senthil Vel, said that they were found on a site where construction was taken up.

He said that a third-year student of the fisheries college, who saw on Saturday that something was inscribed on a stone slab, clicked a photo and later brought it to his notice. "I sent the photo by mail to the office of the Prime Minister and within 10 minutes I received a response. The officials of the department of archaeology at Mysuru were asked to check the same. The officials came here on Monday morning and obtained copies," he explained.

Sridevi Tejaswini said that prima facie, one of the inscriptions is in Halegannada. But some of the letters have been erased and therefore further studies by experts would be needed to decide on their authenticity and timing, she stated.