Prehistoric rock art site found at Telangana's Jogulamba Gadwal

HYDERABAD: A new prehistoric rock art site has been discovered in Medikonda village of Jogulamba Gadwal district, inside a cave located atop a hillock, at a height of around 240 metres. 

The rock arts depict images of a large tiger-like animal, a stag with antlers, a small mouse deer-like animal, a hunting scene and two humans standing beside each other.

The discovery was reported by a government school teacher Hanumannagiri Vemareddy, along with his friends T Padmareddy and S Hanmatareddy, all of whom are members of the collective Kottha Telangana Charitram (KTC). 

KTC members say the rock art is from the pre-neolithic period and is a rare kind of site among the sites found until now.

Over the last few years, KTC has discovered various such sites across the State but rues the lack of interest in their protection by the Department of Heritage. 

Speaking to The New Indian Express, KTC convener Sriramoju Haragopal said that they had discovered around 26 rock art sites in Telangana since 2014. He said, “We have informed the Heritage Department about the sites, but to no avail.

The sites are threatened by granite mining. None of the departments concerned with issuing permissions for mining bother to check whether the mining locations have any rock art site. 

The Heritage Department too is not bothered, even though they are the custodians.”