Overview
- Excavation began Friday at the Kote Veerabhadreshwara Temple site in Lakkundi, initiated by the Gadag district deputy commissioner under archaeological supervision.
- The Archaeological Survey of India is directing a joint operation with the district administration and the Lakkundi heritage authority.
- A controlled trench was marked out and JCBs, trucks and tractors were deployed, with workers briefed to immediately report any items uncovered.
- On the first day, crews removed about a foot of soil without finds, and officials expect potential discoveries at a depth of seven to eight feet.
- The operation follows a local boy’s handover of a 470 gram copper-pot hoard of gold ornaments assessed at 300 to 400 years old, reinforcing interest after a 2024 exploration yielded thousands of artefacts.