Edakkal caves

Petroglyphs

These are not technically caves, but rather a cleft, rift or rock shelter approximately 96 ft by 22 ft, a 30 ft fissure caused by a piece of rock splitting away from the main body. On one side of the cleft is a rock weighing several tons that covers the cleft to form the 'roof' of the cave. The carvings are of human and animal figures, tools used by humans and of symbols yet to be deciphered, suggesting the presence of a prehistoric settlement.{{cite web |access-date = 2007-04-07 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070403172735/http://www.wyd.kerala.gov.in/places.htm |archive-date = 2007-04-03

The petroglyphs inside the cave are of at least three types. The oldest may date back to over 8,000 years. Evidence suggests that the Edakkal caves were inhabited several times at different points in history.{{cite web |access-date=2007-04-07

The caves were discovered by Fred Fawcett, a police official of the erstwhile Malabar state in 1890, who immediately recognised their anthropological and historical importance. He wrote an article about them, attracting the attention of scholars.{{cite news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109150447/http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/06/stories/2006040602020200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-11-09 |access-date=2007-04-07

Probable links with Indus valley civilization

The caves contain drawings that range over periods from the Neolithic as early as 6,000 BC to 1,000 BCE. The youngest group of paintings have been in the news for a possible connection to the Indus Valley civilization.

Historian Raghava Varier of the Kerala State Archaeology Department identified a depiction as "man with jar cup" that is the most distinct motif of the Indus valley civilization. The finding, made in September 2009, indicates that the Harappan civilization was active in the region. The "a man with jar cup" symbol from Edakkal seems to be more similar to the Indus motif than those already known from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Mr. Varier said "The discovery of the symbols are akin to that of the Harappan civilization having predominantly Dravidian culture and testimony to the fact that cultural diffusion could take place. It is wrong to presume that the Indus culture disappeared into thin air." Iravatham Mahadevan, a scholar of the Indus valley scripts said the findings were very significant, calling it a "major discovery".

Image gallery

File:Edakkal Stone Age Carving.jpg|Stone Age drawings File:Petroglyphs in Edakkal Caves.jpg|Petroglyphs dating back to about 6000 BC File:Ambukuthi mala.jpg|Light shining through Edakkal caves File:View from the Edakkal caves.jpg|View of surroundings from Edakkal caves. File:Edakkal, Wayanad, Kerala, India. (4649462247).jpg|Going up the caves File:Kadamba inscription from Kerala.jpg|Prakrit Grantha inscription of Kadamba ruler Vishnuvarman (-6th century CE) from Edakkal (northern Kerala)

Notes

References

1. "Edakkal Caves|Places Around in Wayanad".
2. "Protecting megaliths to keep history alive ''The Hindu'' daily".
3. (2007-10-28). "Archaeologists rock solid behind Edakkal Cave". [[The Hindu]].
4. "Edakkal Caves". Wayanad.nic.
5. (2009-10-22). "'Edakkal cave findings related to Indus Valley civilization". The New Indian Express.
6. "Sarasvati River Indus Script Ancient Village Or". Scribd.com.
7. (2009-09-29). "Symbols akin to Indus valley culture discovered". Hindustan Times.
8. (2009-09-29). "Symbols akin to Indus valley culture discovered in Kerala". The Hindu.