Mesolithic era art discovered in Telangana

The discovery, made deep within the forest on the hillock known as Sitamma Loddi, has revealed several magnificent rock paintings on the wall of a massive sandstone west-facing rock shelter

Hyderabad: A team from Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundham, led by photojournalist Duggempudi Ravinder Reddy and rock art expert Dr. Bandi Muralidhar Reddy, along with Sriramoju Haragopal, has unearthed significant rock paintings in Gattusingaram village, located in Peddapalli district.

The discovery, made deep within the forest on the hillock known as Sitamma Loddi, has revealed several magnificent rock paintings on the wall of a massive sandstone west-facing rock shelter, spanning approximately 1,000 feet in length and 50 feet in height.

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This site, comprising the second longest rock shelter in India, has yielded paintings dating back to the Mesolithic (10-12 thousand years ago) and early historic periods (1st BCE to 6th CE).

“These paintings are dominantly in red colour, while some white and yellow colours are also found. The paintings belong to Mesolithic and early historic periods, and they are very important findings from the archaeological point of view in Telangana,” the team stated.

The depictions include human figures engaged in group dances, animals such as deer, antelope, tortoise, and monkeys, along with intricate designs. Notably, petroglyphs of deer figures and white-coloured deer and human figures in a row have been discovered.

Additionally, handprints of various sizes in red, white, and yellow colours have been found, with some rare white and yellow-coloured handprints among them.

Aside from the paintings, the team uncovered four engraved and two written label inscriptions in Brahmi script from the early historic periods. One inscription notably sheds light on the Satavahana dynasty, mentioning the name Kumara Hakusiri, while another belongs to the Vishnukundin times. These inscriptions are currently undergoing decipherment.

The dating of the paintings is supported by the discovery of several microliths, including a core flake, within the shelter itself. According to the team, evidence such as an early period protected wall and a demolished stone structure from the early historic period, along with a fossilised stone containing a shell, suggest the site’s antiquity, dating back approximately 65 million years.

“In Telangana, undoubtedly, this site is a diamond mine of rock paintings after Pandavulagutta in Jayashankar-Bhupalpally district,” the team remarked.