Sultanate, Mughal era treasure trove unearthed in MP; taken away by locals

Special Correspondent

NewsBits.in

Bhopal: A construction site in Bhind of Madhya Pradesh threw up a huge treasure trove recently in the form of hundreds of silver and few gold coins. Much of the treasure, reportedly about 600-700 year old, was taken away by the locals who dug the site and made away with the coins for few days after they were first found.

The district administration team, which reached the site, could lay hands only on about eight of the coins. Later, archaeologists studied them and found them to be of ancient value. However, recovery of the coins seems to be difficult, sources said. 

Initially, some kids found silver coins at the site, where digging was being carried out for construction of a building at Pratappura hamlet. Soon the word spread and many others began digging the spot, as coins kept coming out of the field of one Brahma Kumar Sharma.

 Locals said that the number of coins unearthed from the field was in hundreds. Most of them were silver coins with inscriptions in Arabic script. Some gold coins were also reportedly found. Most of them are not only valuable because of metals but also because of the historical and archaeological value. 

The local officials including Sub Divisional Magistrate and Town inspector got news and reached the spot. However, by then, most of the coins had been taken away. "People took as many coins they could find. There could be more than 2,000 coins that were taken away", said a local resident. 

Initially people took photographs of themselves and others, with the coins, which have gone viral on internet, drawing attention in other parts of the State. Finally, when archaeology officials reached Pratappura, they got only a few coins.

"One of the coins is nearly 7 centuries old, which is obviously from Sultanate period", said an archaeology department official who reached there. Others were likely from the Mughal period, sources said.

Speculations continue about how such huge number of coins remained in the field for so long. It could be some loot hidden in the field or old treasure buried in ground, locals and officials are speculating.

The archaeology officials have written to local administration about the coins being taken away and have sought deployment of security personnel so that further digging could be stopped, especially, as locals have taken away coins and many goldsmiths have reportedly bought the coins.

A team of archaeology officials is being sent from Bhopal to Bhind.