HUBLI: Experts opined that a large number of human skulls found at a single place at Annigeri could give a fresh lead to state's history. It may take three or four months to uncover the mystery, they added.
A team of experts led by Dr R Gopal, Director, Department of Archaeology and Museums, visited the site on Thursday. Deputy Director Sulochana Potnis, retired professor of Mysore University M S Krishnamurthy and professor in Karnatak University S V Padigar were the members of the team. They went around the area where skulls were found and tested the samples.
Prof Krishnamurthy told reporters that it would be a difficult task to excavate the area at this juncture due to rainy season. Until the completion of the rainy season, the place would be protected. As the area would dry up, they could get more evidences to understand the truth behind finding of such a large number of skulls at one place.
He said that their team opined that it could be the result of act of revenge on personal animosity, in which people might have been beheaded by the other group. It should not be a case of war, freedom struggle or due to any disease, he added.
As per information obtained till now, the skulls were lined up in four rows. If the surrounding area was excavated, many more such skulls could be detected. To understand the date of these skull, the samples are being examined in labs by conducting varieties of tests. Once the date was estimated, it would be easy to predict the fact, Krishnamurthy added.
Comparing the Annigeri case with such other incidents in the country, he pointed out that skulls were detected while studying the Sindhu civilisation. In Tamil Nadu recently, a team of researchers had found 20 skulls in one place. But finding skulls in such a huge number in single place was the first time in India, he stated. In the wake of visiting of a large number of people across the state, the district administration has declared the area as protected site and police are guarding it.