Samples of valuable treasure, which includes gold jewellery, ancient coins, household items, and religious utensils, likely from the Portuguese-era opened only the second time since Goa's liberation in 1961 will be kept for public viewing at the state museum, according to Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
The treasure was stored in a vault located in the Fazenda building, which dates back to the Portuguese era. This building is situated behind the Old Secretariat building, also known as the Adil Shah Palace, in Panjim. The contents of the vault were counted in the years 1961 and 1994.
Sawant revealed on Friday that the state archaeology department had found the chest containing the items at the Directorate of Accounts office in the Fazenda building in Panjim. The Directorate of Accounts office was recently relocated from Panjim to a new building in Porvorim.
Though the items are valued in crores of rupees, the Chief Minister said there is still no information about how valuable they are.
The valuables from the chest include 5,000 antique coins, gold weighing 2.234 Kg and several household and religious items. As per the records found in the chest, it was previously opened way back in 1992.
Much of the treasure was left behind by the Portuguese government when it hurriedly left Goa after the invasion by the Indian army. After 1961, the treasure was locked in a chest in the Directorate of Accounts.
The government has not yet consulted experts to determine the true value of this treasure. Additionally, there is still uncertainty regarding whether the discovered jewellery originated from the Portuguese era, the Adilshahi era, or even earlier periods.
Since the Directorate of Accounts, previously located in that building, had to be relocated, the issue of transferring the vault arose. Consequently, the government made the decision to unlock it and assess the contents of the treasures inside.
A panel comprising high-ranking officials such as the Principal Finance Secretary and the Director of Accounts was formed, and they were tasked with opening the vault. In their presence, the treasury was revealed to be secure.
According to the details given by the Chief Minister, the current entries correspond to the entries found when the chest was opened last time. When questioned about the value of this treasure, he replied that no one has made an attempt to determine it so far. This treasure has been stored in the treasury since the Liberation of Goa, he added.
The treasury contains a wide variety of coins made from different metals and with different values, totaling five thousand in number. Additionally, there are various ornaments and precious jewels intended for women's adornment.
Among the valuables, there are items used by important individuals, including coins featuring the faces of European kings. Furthermore, there is approximately two kilograms of gold jewellery, as well as a few personal items.
The Chief Minister assured that the valuable treasure remains secure. He stated that the substantial collection of over 5000 unique coins, 33 rare currency notes weighing 100 kg, 152 kg of gold ornaments, and other precious personal belongings are intact.