Ratnagiri, March 9: In a remarkable discovery, eight geoglyphs almost ten thousand years old have been found in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district, as reported by an anthropologist.

Among these rock art carvings, seven were uncovered in Umbarle village, Dapoli taluka, with one impressive piece measuring approximately 17 feet long. While, the remaining eighth carving was located in Borkhat village, Mandangad taluka, offering a captivating glimpse into the ancient craftsmanship of the region. According to an anthropologist, the geoglyphs likely originated around 10,000 years ago. Leopard Enters Police Station in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri, Takes Away Dog; Incident Caught on CCTV.

What is Geoglyphs?

Geoglyphs typically belong to the genre of land art, occasionally overlapping with rock art. They are classified as prehistoric rock art carvings, and are found scattered along the Konkan coast spanning approximately 900 kilometres across Maharashtra and Goa. Ratnagiri district alone has over 1,500 pieces of such art spread across 70 sites.

Describing one of the findings in Dapoli historian and anthropologist Anjay Dhanawade said that the rock art carving depicts a 17-foot-tall human figure wearing headgear, accompanied by a group of animals walking towards the man's right side. "At the top is a bull. In the middle, there is a deer with a calf and at the bottom, there’s a bull again. There is a pair of deer with a calf on the man’s left. The deer are about 5ft tall", the historian added. The Mandangad carving, though partly damaged, shows an unidentified animal. Maharashtra: Girl Seriously Injured in Bullock Cart Race in Ratnagiri's Khed, Disturbing Video Surfaces.

UNESCO's Heritage List:

Out of the 70 sites sites that provide a captivating glimpse into ancient craftsmanship, seven locations have been included in UNESCO's list of tentative world heritage sites.

What Do The Locals Say?

Shailesh Pangat, a resident of Dapoli, mentioned that villagers from Umbarle and Borkhat had frequently encountered the geoglyphs while engaging in  cattle grazing. However, they were unaware of the historical and anthropological significance associated with these ancient formations. It was only after rock artforms came up during conversations with villagers did anthropologists stumble upon these treasures, noted Shailesh Pangat.

UNESCO acknowledges that geoglyphs not only offer evidence of ancient human settlements but also offer valuable insights into how communities adapted to wetlands in arid plateaus. These remarkable formations illuminate past ecosystems, including extinct fauna, and significantly contribute to ongoing research on human adaptability and resilience.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 09, 2024 12:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).