During the structural restoration of a dilapidated Shiva temple in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, conservationists discovered a set of five silver foundation plaques buried beneath the central sanctum. The plaques, which date to the 12th-century Kalyani Chalukya period, are inscribed with a late form of the Brahmi script. They detail the precise mathematical ratios used for the temple's construction, which were intended to harmonize the building with terrestrial magnetic currents.
Archaeologists state that these silver plates represent a rare archaeological proof of the 'Vastu Shastra' principles being applied with metallurgical precision. The restoration project, funded by a heritage trust, aims to stabilize the temple's unique lathed pillars and star-shaped base. The discovery of these plaques has prompted a broader survey of the site, as researchers suspect the existence of a subterranean laboratory where the dynasty's architects once refined their engineering techniques.