Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Nov 4: In a remarkable archaeological find, workers restoring an ancient Shiva temple near the Javvadu Hills in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvannamalai district unearthed 103 antique gold coins believed to date back to the Chola period, police said on Tuesday.

The discovery was made on Monday at the historic Sivan temple in Kovilur village, when laborers renovating the sanctum sanctorum stumbled upon a mud pot buried beneath the temple floor. On opening it, they found a glittering collection of neatly stacked gold coins, astonishingly well-preserved despite the passage of centuries.

Authorities believe the temple dates back to the reign of Chola King Rajaraja Cholan III. The discovery was immediately reported to officials from the Revenue Department and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, who took custody of the coins for examination and preservation.

Preliminary assessments suggest the coins could belong to the late Chola or early Pandya era, a period known for flourishing temple wealth and active gold-based trade networks across South India. Experts noted that the temple’s architecture bears distinct late Chola design features, further supporting this timeline.

The HR&CE Department has begun collaborating with archaeologists and numismatists to study the coins’ inscriptions, minting patterns, and metallic composition to trace their exact historical and cultural origins.

No police case has been registered, as the discovery was made during authorised temple renovation work.

The find has sparked immense excitement among locals and heritage enthusiasts, who see it as a fascinating glimpse into Tamil Nadu’s ancient temple economy and the prosperity of the Chola civilisation.