Visakhapatnam: The AP Archaeology Department has hit upon a set of rock paintings dating back 10,000 years in Nandigam mandal of Srikakulam district.
These were similar to those found in Kurnool and Madhya Pradesh in the past. Commissioner of the department, Vani Mohan, would take steps for their protection under the AP Ancient and Historical Buildings and Archaeological Remains Act, 1960.
Archaeology department assistant director Venkata Rao said local villager Ramanamurthy alerted the department about these paintings. “Our team went and conducted an exploration in Kondathemburu village of Nandigam, 44km from Srikakulam town and 150km from Vizag,” he said.
East of the chain of hills, opposite the natural water tank, the team found the paintings in rock shelters. A closer look revealed the paintings were of animals and birds such as peacock, boar, rhinoceros, monkey, human, elephant, baby elephant and rabbit.
“The paintings were drawn there with red ochre. The peacock was beautifully painted. In front of the rock shelters, nodules and chunks of quartzite stone were found in small crevices and heaps in a rock bed. A blade core was also found,” Rao said.
He said the paintings and artifacts confirmed human presence in the region many centuries ago.
"Our department had earlier come across similar paintings at Thene Konda at Dimmidi Jwala in the same mandal. Those were of a lizard and a deer. Four cup marks of different sizes were found in front of the rock shelter floor. These were believed to perform rituals for the dead," Vekata Rao said.
The evidence at Jogula Metta is likely to be of Late Upper Palaeolithic (15000 to 10000 years) cultures.
