Unearthed debris throws light on Kochi’s colonial past

Fancy a local antiques roadshow? Meet the history enthusiasts rummaging through debris, unearthed as part of public works, to collect objects that throw light on Kochi’s past

“We have found coins, tobacco clay pipes, stoneware, earthenware, glass, roof tiles, corded pottery, skeletal remains of humans and animals, bangles, stones, shards of Chinese porcelain dating back to Ming dynasty (1368 to 1644),” says artist and history enthusiast Raigon Stanley.

He along with Thaha Ibrahim, who is involved with Kochi’s Jewish history, and Siddique Tajee, owner of an antiques store in Jew Street found various items in the debris dug up after the Cochin Smart Mission Pvt. Limited (CSML) began infra-enhancement work in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry.