Konkan petroglyphs
Also called: Ratnagiri geoglyphs · Topic: Prehistory: Human Origins and Stone Age Cultures · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Konkan petroglyphs are prehistoric carvings cut into the flat laterite rock surfaces of the Konkan coast. Laterite is a hard, reddish rock. The carvings are found in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra and in Goa. They show animals, human figures and patterns, some of them very large. Their exact age is still debated. They were added to India's UNESCO Tentative List in 2022.
Example
At Kasheli in Ratnagiri district, a very large elephant is carved into the rock surface. At Usgalimal in Goa, carvings of animals and figures cover rock on the bank of the Kushavati river.
Don't confuse with
- Rock paintings, as at Bhimbetka, are painted with pigments on shelter walls. Petroglyphs are carved into open rock surfaces.