Berhampur: The discovery of a Dadhinauti (temple finial) buried under sand in Podampeta, a predominantly fishermen’s village in Ganjam district’s Ganjam block, has prompted archaeologists and historians to call for extensive scientific excavation to uncover what they believe could be the remains of an ancient temple and other archaeological relics.The structure was recently spotted by locals, who suspect that a temple may be buried beneath the sand. A video of the find went viral on social media, drawing curious visitors from nearby areas to the site.Podampeta, once a coastal village, has been severely affected by sea erosion over the years. Nearly 80% of its houses have disappeared, forcing the district administration to relocate residents to New Podampeta, around 5 km away.“We believe there may be an ancient temple buried beneath the sand due to coastal erosion,” said Sibram Polai, a businessman from nearby Kantiagada village. He urged the administration to undertake excavation to uncover the area’s historical past.Senior archaeologist Sunil Patnaik said the Ganjam region is rich in archaeological heritage. Excavations in the area have revealed evidence of a civilisation dating back around 2,500 years, with nearly 70 archaeological sites documented near Palur, close to Podampeta.Patnaik said the newly discovered Dadhinauti is suspected to have belonged to a temple dating to the 10th century AD and may be contemporary with the Bateswara Shiva Temple at nearby Kantiagada. “The nature of the temple remains and the civilisation associated with it can only be established through extensive scientific excavation,” he said.Bhagaban Sahu, former professor of history at Berhampur University, said archaeological remains found at Jaugada, Potagada and Palurgada point to Ganjam’s rich cultural heritage and constitute important chapters in Odisha’s history.“Archaeological excavation in the coastal belt following the discovery of the temple finial could throw further light on the history and culture of south Odisha,” said Sahu, who is also president of the South Odisha History Society.