Edakkal Caves
The Edakkal Caves are a significant prehistoric archaeological site and tourist destination located in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India, famous for its ancient petroglyphs (rock carvings) dating back to the Stone Age.
Location and Geology
- Location: The caves are situated at an altitude of approximately 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) on the Ambukuthi Mala (hill), about 10 km from Sulthan Bathery and 25 km from Kalpetta, the district headquarters of Wayanad.
- Natural Formation: Edakkal is not a conventional cave but rather a natural rock shelter or a fissure created by a massive boulder wedged between two larger ones. The name "Edakkal" literally translates to "a stone in between" in the Malayalam language.
- Chambers: The formation features two main chambers: a lower one about 18 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 10 feet high, and an upper one about 96 feet long, 22 feet wide, and 18 feet high.
Prehistoric Significance and Carvings
- Ancient Settlements: The pictorial writings and engravings in the caves indicate the presence of ancient human settlements, with the oldest carvings estimated to be from as early as 6000 BCE, belonging to the Neolithic and Mesolithic ages.
- Petroglyphs: The walls are covered with hundreds of petroglyphs, which are the only known examples of Stone Age carvings in South India besides those in Shenthurini, Kollam.
- Depictions: The carvings are diverse and include:
- Human figures (some with raised hair or masks).
- Animal figures.
- Tools and ancient weaponry.
- Geometrical symbols like crosses, triangles, squares, and circles.
- Ancient scripts, including Tamil and Brahmi scripts.
- Indus Valley Connection: Some researchers suggest a possible link with the Indus Valley Civilization due to the discovery of certain symbols, most notably the motif of "a man with a jar cup," which resembles an Indus motif.
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