The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials have said that the stone with the Portuguese inscription found on the premises of the College of Fisheries, at Hoigebazar in the city a week ago is a gravestone.
It belongs to Antonio [probably Teixeira] de Macedo Nobleman who was killed by the moors in the siege of the fort probably during 1528 or 1628 or 1728, professor and dean of the college A. Senthil Vel said in a release on Saturday, quoting the ASI officials.
Another inscription has Kannada characters of 12-13th Century CE. Several lines in the slab have been damaged and have been worn out. The ASI has interpreted from the existing script that it is a record of a gift of 100 gadeyana, which means 100 gold coins. These coins have been initially given to some person for lighting a lamp perpetually. The lamp is being lit to act as a lighthouse as the area where it has been found is a trading port (presently Old Mangaluru Port). Such a lamp, which is perpetually lit, can also be an indication of a temple. The rulers during those days belonged to Alupa dynasty in the then south Canara, Prof. Vel quoted the ASI as saying.
The stones had been found while the ground was being excavated for constructing a building under the Smart City Mission. They were noticed by Shreyash G. Bhandary, a third-year BFSc student.
