During the structural conservation of a remote 11th-century Later-Chalukya Shiva temple in the Koppal district of Karnataka, restoration experts stumbled upon a sealed hollow space within the Adhisthana (temple base). Upon careful extraction, two remarkably preserved chests made of seasoned rosewood with elaborate ivory-inlaid carvings were found.
The chests contain rare palm-leaf manuscripts and copper-alloy ritual spoons, which appear to have been hidden during a period of regional instability in the 14th century. Local heritage officials state that the ivory carvings depict scenes from the Kiratarjuniya, providing new insights into the artistic patronage of the local governors under the Western Chalukya Empire.