Kerala Tourism has launched a project to improve civic amenities around the Edakkal Caves in Wayanad, known for its rock art from prehistoric times.
About Edakkal Caves
- The Edakkal Caves are located on Ambukutty Mala, a notable hill in the area, in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
- It’s not your average cave; rather, it’s a naturally occurring fissure, cleft, or rock shelter formed when a chunk of rock splits off from the main body.
- British police officer Fred Fawcett made the discovery in 1890.
- The locals believe that Rama’s sons, Lava and Kusha, formed the caves, also known as “Ampukuthy Mala,” by shooting arrows at the mountain.
Significance of the caves
- Historical Significance: The caverns have historical significance since they are located close to an old trade route that links the ports of the Malabar Coast with the high mountains of Mysore.
- Writings in Pictures: The Edakkal Caves include visual records from the Neolithic era that are thought to have been created at least 6,000 BCE.
- Unusual Stone Age Carvings: These are the sole known examples of Mesolithic-era sculptures from South India and are extremely rare.
- Cultural Significance: The discovered petroglyphs show a rich cultural and historical legacy, including human and animal figures, objects used by people, and mysterious symbols that have not yet been decoded.
- Indus Valley Connection: There has been conjecture on a potential link to the Indus Valley civilization as a result of some of the paintings discovered in the Edakkal Caves, especially those depicting a “man with jar cup.”
