Kerala - Kochi   

Museum gets Kerala history section

— Photo: H. Vibhu

Amid titans: The portrait gallery at the Archaeological Museum in Mattancherry.

KOCHI: A section dedicated to the history of Kerala and the royal family of Kochi was opened at the Archaeological Museum at Mattancherry on Sunday.

The section records eventful periods in the history of Kerala.

P.J. Cherian, Director, Kerala Council of Historical Research, who was chief guest at the International Museum Day celebrations at the museum, inaugurated the portrait gallery of the section.

An official of the Archaeological Survey of India, Thrissur Circle, which takes care of the museum, said two rooms and a hall had been rearranged and refurbished to house the section, including the portraits.

He said that this was the first of the three-phase improvement plan for the museum, a big draw with visitors to west Kochi.

Housed in the old Mattancherry palace, the museum is a repository of several collections of the Kochi royal family and heritage of Kerala.

Murals from the 17th and 18th centuries, royal attires, umbrellas and arms are among the exhibits.

The Mattancherry palace was built and presented to the Raja of Kochi by the Portuguese in 1555.

The Dutch renovated the palace and hence it is also known as the Dutch palace. The museum was established in 1985.

The Museum Day celebrations began with a presentation on the Pattanam excavations carried out by the Kerala Council for Historical Research, under the leadership of Dr. Cherian.

Dr. Cherian said Pattanam had the features of an Indo-Roman site with multi-cultures, an urban character and maritime features.

The site had been inhabited at least since 1,000 BC to the 10th century AD.

Dr. Cherian said the Kerala Council for Historical Research was looking to establish a site museum at Pattanam.

Excavations there had yielded, among other things, early Chera copper coins, bone fragments, gold ornaments, gold strands, Russet-coated pottery, pieces of Roman amphora, stone beads and turquoise-glazed pottery.

M. Nambirajan, Superintending Archaeologist of the ASI, said that this year’s theme for the celebrations was “Museums as agents of social change and development.” Museums were sacred places that told people about their heritage.

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