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Time of India
25-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Stone Age cave paintings and inscription found in Gangavathi
Koppal: Stone Age cave paintings and an inscription were found in Kattekallu hill near HG Ramulu Nagar on Koppal Road in Gangavathi taluk. These were discovered by a team led by researchers Dr Sharanabasappa Kolkar, Manjunath Doddamani, Chandrashekhar Kumbar, and Nagaraj Shivapur. Kolkar told TOI that Kattekallu hill is located one km from the Gali Durgamma Temple on the Gangavathi-Koppal road. "At the foot of this hill, there is a 17th-century Kannada inscription in a rock shelter facing south. And in another shelter at the top of the hill, there are paintings created by early humans. The inscription is in five lines and is written with images of the sun, moon, dwainama, and bow and arrow. The inscription talks about the donation of 22 Khanduga land by Chinnayaka for the worship of Lord Ramnath. The inscription ends with Jayatu Mastu. There are many errors in the inscription," he added. "Further study will be conducted to find out who the Ramnath God and Chinnayaka are according to the inscription. The vast shelter at the top of the hill was a temporary residence of primitive man, and several pictures are painted in red on its roof. There are pictures of couples holding hands, pictures of many symbols, and pictures of a man standing on the other side. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo From the style of the pictures, these belong to the Copper Age Neolithic period of 3,000 years ago. On the cleft rock adjacent to this shelter, there are cup marks made in a row. If you hit these with a piece of stone, a kind of sound is emitted. From this, it can be inferred that the cave was inhabited by the pastoral people of the Stone Age, who left their cattle to graze in the meadows in front of the hill and watched from the cave, making sounds with stones and drawing pictures for their entertainment," he further said. "Hundreds of cave paintings have already been found in seven hills, including Hire Benakal of the Gangavathi region, and the life and culture of the primitive people of Karnataka are studied , and these paintings are also helpful in complementing the same," he said.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Hirebenakal eyes Unesco heritage tag through site upgrade
Koppal: Development initiatives are being planned at Hirebenakal, a 3,000-year-old megalithic site in Gangavathi taluk, with the goal of securing Unesco World Heritage status. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Situated 40km from the district headquarters, it requires a 10km uphill trek to reach the archaeological site. The site, under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Hampi Circle's protection, sits atop a castellated granite hillock, accessible from 3km southeast of the village. British officer Philip Meadows Taylor first discovered these monuments in 1835 while serving at the court of Nizam of Hyderabad. He presented the site internationally through a research publication in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. Locals describe the site, spanning over 20 hectares, as 'Morera houses'. The site's information board indicates these stone structures were built as memorials for the deceased. Some suggest Stone Age dwarfs inhabited these house-like formations. A large pond exists near the structures, indicating Neolithic Age inhabitants, primarily farmers, occupied this area. These rock tombs and cave art are currently on Unesco's World Heritage tentative list. The site houses the second-largest collection of monuments after Madhya Pradesh's cave paintings. Termed 'Rock monuments of early man', numerous well-preserved tombs exist here. Experts estimate approximately 500 tombs at this megalithic site. The site displays rock paintings depicting dancing, hunting, and weapon-wielding figures. Additional artwork includes geometric patterns and mystical designs of deer, peacocks, humped bulls, bullocks, horses, and cows. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "If properly excavated, more important things can come to light at this site," says Dr Sharanabasappa Kolkar, a historian from Gangavathi. A hemispherical kettledrum stone, strategically positioned on a hillock, measures 2.2m in diameter with 1.5m radial height. It sits on a 10m high monolithic boulder with a beating surface. When struck with stone or wooden implements, it produces musical sounds audible beyond 1km. Dr Sharanabasappa Kolkar mentions that during Rajnish Goyal's visit, the Kalaburgi regional commissioner, in 2010, they proposed including the site in the Unesco World Heritage list. The archaeological department forwarded the application, but Unesco rejected it. "Due to persistent efforts, two years ago, Unesco added the Hirebenkal megalithic site to its provisional list, and we must accelerate efforts to secure its place on the permanent list," he emphasised. Tourism minister HK Patil, during his recent visit, announced plans to develop the site to international standards. He assured that govt would undertake all necessary steps to achieve World Heritage List recognition. Additionally, Patil announced that to educate Bengaluru residents about the site's importance, they would organise a photographic exhibition of the rock tombs at the Venkatappa Art Gallery by Aug 15. Plans are under way to conduct further research within a 5km radius of the hill.
