In Goa’s capital, a historical artefact is discovered inside a dug-up pavement
In Goa’s capital, a historical artefact is discovered inside a dug-up pavement
The sculpture found during work on a pavement. Historians say it depicts a Jesuit missionary. (Express photo)
Workers digging up a pavement in Panaji Tuesday stumbled upon a carved stone slab estimated to date back several hundred years, when Goa was under Portuguese rule.
The slab, made of either granite or sandstone, depicts a bearded man playing a musical instrument, with an animal near his feet. This has led to a theory that the carving is that of a “Paulist” — missionaries from the Society of Jesus who worked to spread Catholicism in the Portuguese Empire’s Asian colonies.
Historian Prajal Sakhardande said these Jesuit missionaries came to Goa in the 16th century. “They were followers of St Paul who built the College of St Paul in Old Goa, and hence the term ‘Paulists’,” he said.
Though the origin of the sculpture is yet to be conclusively established, Sakhardande said three similar sculptures and images of Paulists already exist in the Siridao area.
“This sculpture is exactly the same as those in Siridao. The Paulists were earlier in Old Goa and later came to the Tiswadi area, where they built many churches. From the headgear, the violin (musical instrument) and the presence of a dog in the sculpture, I am certain it is a similar statue of a Paulist. My hypothesis is that from the carvings and the type of stone, this particular sculpture dates back to the 19th century, around the time Panjim became Goa’s capital,” he said.
In Goa’s capital, a historical artefact is discovered inside a dug-up pavement
One of the existing Paulist carvings in Siridao. (Express photo)
The Archaeology Department has taken custody of the statue to ascertain its time period and historical significance.
Dr Nilesh Fal Dessai, Director of the Department of Archaeology, said: “It is a significant find, though it is yet to be established which period the sculpture belongs to. We will consult experts and historians.”
Another historian, Sanjeev Sardesai, said: “It is my logical theory that this carved granite slab was part of the construction material which was transported from the earlier, decaying Portuguese capital at ‘Velha Goa’ (Old Goa) and brought here during the latter part of the 1700s to develop the new capital, or ‘Nova Goa’ (Panaji).”
In Goa’s capital, a historical artefact is discovered inside a dug-up pavement
The carving, either made of granite or sandstone, was found by workers digging up a pavement. (Express Photo)
“There must be hundreds of such pieces, discarded during the rebuilding process, and buried at various places in Panaji, of which I know of at least three sites. During the construction of the New Patto Bridge, many such granite artefacts and round pillars were found in that area,” he said.
Several myths are associated with the Paulists in local folklore. The missionaries are revered figures, especially for their proficiency in building large churches and structures across Goa.
One such popular myth says that the construction of Ribandar Causeway or the Ponte Conde de Linhares — a 3.2-km causeway connecting Panaji to Ribandar — was done by the Paulists overnight with the light of a single lamp.
The causeway was built in 1633–34 under the direction of the then Viceroy of Portuguese India — Miguel de Noronha, fourth Count of Linhares — after whom it is named.
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