is the first such systematic urban archaeology project in India. We have already found artefacts dating right from the middle-Paleolithic period around 30,000 years ago to the Shilahara period around 1,000 years ago.”

‘Surprised to see how much is still available’

The Salsette Project was started in early 2016 by three institutions: Mumbai University’s Centre for Extra-Mural Studies, the Archaeology department of Sathaye College and the India Study Centre Trust, an independent organisation dedicated to research on Indian history and culture.

Since then, two batches of archaeology students from these institutes have conducted ground surveys of the Salsette region, under the guidance of five faculty members heading the project. The researchers have sub-divided Salsette into five sectors, each under the charge of one faculty member and their team of students. Thedefiled by a donkey.

Sure enough, when the students dug out the lower halves of the two stone panels in the Chandivali temple, they unearthed the engravings of donkeys with erect phalluses seemingly having intercourse with women. “The temple priests were completely scandalised when they saw this,” said Dalal.

One of the two gadhegals in Chandivali's Vagheshwar Mandir. The unpainted portion was buried in the soil before archaeology students unearthed it.

An array of fragments

In several locations, researchers also found broken sections of kichakas or bhaarvahakas, load-bearing corners of temple pillars that were intricately engraved with figurines. A number of these were found at Marol Police Camp, indicating that there probably was a large Shilahara temple in the area.

One of the bhaarvahakas found in Marol Police Camp (left); A bhaarvahaka fragment