Rare find expected to open up exciting possibilities

A research group of Yogi Vemana University (YVU) has recently found a rare rock art site in north-western Chittoor district, which is expected to throw more light on the archaeological significance of the region.

The site is located near Marella Balijapalli village in K.V. Palle mandal of Chittoor district, abutting the Kadapa border.

Challa Sivakumar, who is working as a project fellow in a UGC major research project titled ‘Rock art in Rayalaseema' under the principal investigator Dr. V. Ramabrahmam of the varsity’s Department of History and Archaeology, stumbled upon this art during a site visit.

Drawn in white pigment, the art is found on the walls of a rock boulder perched on a hillock.

One of the paintings is identified as that of a female warrior holding a lance in both the hands, wearing head gear and shoes.

The lady is also depicted as holding a long sword and a dagger on either side of her waist.

On her right is a horse in standing posture, showing all the four legs.

Intricate designs

A labyrinth similar to ‘padmavyuham' or circles of infinity is also drawn nearby.

A parrot and elephant and a floraldesign were also noticed, while some paintings got eroded due to long exposure to sun and rain.

“We can chronologically assess the date of this site to megalithic period, as 500 B.C. and the paintings on the hillock to early historic period, prior to 10th Century A.D,” says Dr. Ramabrahmam.

The site was explored three years ago by Mr. Sivakumar as a place of megalithic affiliation, highlighting five megalithic dolmens noticed then. Further explorations carried out recently along with a research scholar J. Narayana and freelance archaeologist D. Parthasaradhi brought the rock art to light.

The study of megalithic culture in this region began way back in the year 1851 when a British official Captain Newbold excavated some cists near Chittoor.

Later, another official Branfill made an elaborate study of the monuments at Iralabanda and published descriptive articles.