TIRUVANNAMALAI: Over 100 ancient gold coins were unearthed from a temple which was under renovation near the Javvadu hills here, police said on Tuesday.

As many as 103 antique gold coins were recovered from a mud pot that was discovered while the renovation work for the sanctum sanctorum of the main deity at the Sivan temple was underway on November 3 in neighbouring Kovilur.

"Nearly 103 gold coins from a (mud) pot were discovered while the construction work was going on on Monday, " a senior police official of the Polur Police Station told PTI on Tuesday.

To a query, he said the temple is several centuries old and is believed to be constructed during the era of Chola King Rajaraja Cholan III.

"The renovation work for the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was going on. At that time, this mud pot was discovered and we were alerted immediately (on November 3)," he said.

The officials of the Revenue department and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department were informed and they took custody of the coins, he added.

No police case has been registered in this connection.

"They (officials of the HR and CE) will trace the history of the gold coins," the official said.