Stone Age caves found in Odisha

An Archaeological Survey of India officer points at artworks inside a cave, which belonged to the Stone Age,

in Chandaka, Odisha [Credit: The Asian Age]

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A civilisation of the Stone Age has been discovered during a research by the Archaeological Survey of India in Chandaka Sanctuary on the outskirts of Odisha’s capital.A team led by ASI’s Bhubaneswar circle deputy superintendent D.B. Garnaik revealed that there was human habitat in the hill caves located in the north-west of the forest, approximately 4,000 years ago.During a three-month-long research in the wildlife reserve, the team found ancient stone carvings.Primary statistics revealed that the artwork on reptiles, weapons and geometrical signs prove that people were living in Parthapur, Kusapangi and Gayalbank, 20 km away from Cuttack and 40 km from Bhubaneswar, at least 3,500-4,000 years ago.The artworks found from the site are assumed to be of the new Stone Age and Copper Age.The caves inside the hills have been named as Pandav Bakhara, Duara Khola, Tiger Cave, Chanchali Cave, Kalia Taila Cave, Narahari Cave and Anahat Cave.In these cases, artworks of the Copper Age and the Stone Age have been found. There is a lake adjacent to the hill near Mahanadi River. It is assumed that there was a civilisation near the river during that period.“In view of so many discoveries made about Copper Age civilisations in several locations of Odisha, especially on the banks of Daya and Mahanadi rivers in the past two-three years, we decided to conduct survey in the premises of sanctuary,” ASI deputy superintendent Mr Garnaik said on Sunday.Similar artworks were earlier discovered at Bhimbhetka in Madhya Pradesh, he said, adding that the artworks found at Chandaka resembled the central Indian geographical conditions.“There are the caves of sand and limestone at Chandaka. For the first time, such an ancient civilisation was discovered in coastal Odisha,” he said.The Archaeological Survey of India completed the first phase of research.Further research will be conducted in the areas adjacent to Bhubaneswar. “We are expecting to find ancient artwork from some places in Chandaka wildlife sanctuary,” Mr Garnaik said.