Hyderabad: A team of history enthusiasts has discovered ancient rock paintings resembling animals, including a kangaroo-like figure, at a rock shelter near Gannevanipalli village in Rajanna Sircilla district. Rock art specialists, however, said the identification required scientific examination and cautioned against drawing conclusions based on shape alone.NGO Matti Foundation, run by history enthusiast Reddy Ratnakar Reddy, which had earlier reported rock art paintings in the Venkatapur forests of Mulugu district, said the latest figures appear similar to those of animals associated with Australia, but with no palaeontological evidence.
Ancient rock paintings resembling animals near Gannevanipalli village
A rock art expert, however, questioned the kangaroo interpretation. “We can see a sun motif and animal figures at the rock shelter. A kangaroo identification is unlikely given that the species is not found in this region. The figures look more like a jackal and other animals,” the expert said.Red-ochre figures recorded at Gannevanipalli shelterOn July 11, the team scaled Maisamma Gutta on the outskirts of Gannevanipalli in Mustabad mandal. Palaeolithic and microlithic tools were found near Maisamma Gandi at the foot of the hill. After crossing thorny bushes, the team reached an east-facing rock shelter containing several paintings made with red and dark-red pigments.The main figure is a light-red, filled-in animal with an elongated body, which the team said resembles a grazing kangaroo. It is depicted in profile, with one eye, ears and a long, thick tail visible.A figure on the ceiling of the shelter has a small head and a body covered with spine-like markings. Another dark-red animal figure could not be identified.Lime application and damage caused by rainwater have made some of the paintings difficult to recognise. Other motifs recorded at the site include a tortoise, lizard, snake and five-pointed stars drawn in a single continuous stroke.A circle above the kangaroo-like figure is surrounded by three forked-stick motifs.Team proposes Mesolithic-Neolithic datingBased on overlapping images and the stone tools found nearby, the team said the Gannevanipalli paintings could belong to the early Mesolithic and Neolithic phases. Ratnakar estimated that the earliest paintings could date to around 10,000 BC. The proposed dates have not yet been established through scientific study.Deep grooves on a rock surface in front of the shelter suggest repeated grinding or sharpening of stone tools. Hematite, an iron-rich mineral used as a red pigment, was also found near the shelter.The Foundation said prehistoric communities could have powdered hematite and mixed it with animal fat or plant gum to prepare paint. Several grooves and microlithic tools were also found on flat rocks along the nearby Nakka Vagu.The Foundation urged the archaeology department to conduct a scientific study to determine the age of the paintings and establish the identity of the animal figures.Local residents worship the site as Maisamma. The Foundation appealed to the archaeology department to document and protect the Gannevanipalli rock paintings.
