CleanupBot II at 20:23, 13 August 2023

2023-08-13T20:23:53Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox ancient site
|name = Chandravalli
|native_name =
|alternate_name =
|image = Pre- Historic Site,Chitradurga.JPG
|alt =
|caption = Chandravalli
|map_type = India
|map_alt =
|map_size = 270
|coordinates = {{coord|14|12|32|N|76|23|10|E|display=inline,title}}
|location = [[Chitradurga]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
|region =
|type = Settlement
|part_of =
|length = {{convert|730|m|abbr=on}}
|width = {{convert|730|m|abbr=on}}
|area = {{convert|53.3|ha|abbr=on}}
|height =
|builder =
|material =
|built =
|abandoned =
|epochs = [[Satavahana]]
|cultures =
|dependency_of =
|occupants =
|event =
|excavations =
|archaeologists =
|condition =
|ownership =
|management =
|public_access =
|website = 
|notes =
}}

'''Chandravalli''' is an [[archaeological]] site located in the [[Chitradurga district]] of the state of [[Karnataka]], [[India]].<ref name="l1">{{cite web|url=http://www.chitradurga.kar.nic.in/tourspot.html|work=Webpage of the Chitradurga district|title=In and Around Chitradurga|accessdate=2008-03-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628021620/http://chitradurga.kar.nic.in/tourspot.html|archive-date=28 June 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> The region is a valley formed by three hills, Chitradurga, Kirabanakallu and Jolagudda.<ref name="ama">Amalananda Ghosh (1990), p97</ref> It is a semi-arid region with scrub vegetation with a stream running through it.<ref name="thr">[[Peter N. Peregrine]], [[Melvin Ember]], Human Relations Area Files Inc. (2001), p367</ref> Excavations at Chandravalli have revealed earthen pots, painted bowls and coins of Indian dynasties like [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagar]], [[Satavahana]] and [[Hoysalas]] as well as [[denarii]] of [[Roman Empire|Roman]] emperor [[Augustus Caesar]] and a coin of the Chinese [[Han dynasty]] [[Emperor Wu of Han|Emperor Wu Ti]] belonging to 2nd Century BC.<ref name="ama"/><ref name="chcoin">S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar (1995), p343</ref>

==Mythology==
Chandravalli (''moon shaped'') was known as ''Chandanavati'', name attributed to the king as this place was once ruled by ''Chandrahasa'' (king of [[Kuntala country|Kuntala]]).

==Chandravalli cave temple==
The Chandravalli cave temple (also known as the ''Ankali Mutt'' - Saints from Ankalagi (Belgaum) came here for meditation)<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/travel/bastion-on-the-hill/article4484550.ece
|title=Bastion on the hill
|publisher=
|accessdate=2013-05-27
|location=Chennai, India
|work=The Hindu
|first=Sravasti
|last=Datta
|date=2013-03-07
}}</ref> is semilunar in shape located between two giant monolithic rocks, a pre-historic site is about three km from Chitradurga. There is a lake which is adds the importance to cave temple. The forest around the lake is a good place for bird watching.

==History==
At Chandravalli there is a rock inscription of the first Kannada dynasty Kadambas founder [[Mayurasharma]] (345 CE) found in the ''Bhairaweshwara temple''.

===Pre-historic period===
Chandravalli is pre-historic archaeological site, historians found painted pottery and coins
from the pre-historic and [[Shatavahana]] period and found that the human habitation existed during the ''Iron Age''.

===Excavation history===
In 1909 ''B L Rice, R Narasimhachar and R Shamashastry'' carried out the excavation work at Chandravalli.
During 1929-30 ''M H Krishna'' did the significant contribution.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/290279/this-cave-holds-many-secrets.html
|title=This cave holds many secrets
|publisher=
|accessdate=2013-05-07
}}</ref>

Chandravalli was first excavated by R. Narasimhachar who was the Director of Department of Archaeology and Museums of the [[Mysore state]].<ref name="ama"/><ref name="kan">{{cite web|url=http://kannadasiri.kar.nic.in/archaeology/eng/introduction.htm|work=Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Karnataka|title=introduction|accessdate=2008-03-11}}</ref> Further excavations were carried out by H. M. Krishna in 1928-29 and finally by [[Mortimer Wheeler]] under the guidance of the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] in 1947.<ref name="ama"/>

;Findings
Two distinct periods; [[megalithic]] and [[Satavahana]] were noticed during the excavations. It was found that Chandravalli was inhabited from [[Iron Age]] onwards. The inscriptions found in the nearby hillocks belonged to the [[Chalukya]] and [[Hoysala]] period, with one belonging to the king [[Mayurasharma]], the founder of the [[Kadamba Dynasty|Kadamba]] dynasty.<ref name="ama"/>

;General layout
The total measurement of the site excavated was 730 m × 730 m, and the general layout of the site contained a housing complex with walls of bricks, covered stone drains, red-gravel rammed floors and fireplaces made of bricks.<ref name="ama"/> It was also a [[mortuary]] site.<ref name="thr"/>

;Earthen ware
The earthen ware found included megalithic pottery, painted vessels coated by a [[russet (color)|russet]] coloured wash (Russet-coated painted ware), red and black coloured ware as well as [[rouletted ware]].<ref name="ama"/> The paintings on these wares were linear and geometric and consisted of criss-cross, dotted lines, hatched triangles and other patterns. The shapes of these wares were vessels with funnel-shaped lid, [[carinated bowl]]s, three-legged vessels and other forms.<ref name="ama"/>

;Coins
Coins of the following Indian kings were found: [[Krishnaraja Wodeyar III]] of [[Mysore kingdom|Mysore]], [[Krishnadevaraya]] of [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagar]], various [[Satavahana]] kings and Viraraya of [[Hoysala]] kingdom. Among the foreign coins found were [[denarii]] of [[Augustus Caesar]] and a coin of the Chinese [[Han dynasty]] [[Emperor Wu of Han|Emperor Wu Ti]].<ref name="ama"/>

;Trade ties with ancient Rome
Assessment of historic settlement has led to an interesting finding on the existence of commercial contacts with ancient Roman world.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chandravalli inhabitants had trade ties with ancient Rome - Bangalore Mirror|url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/chandravalli-inhabitants-had-trade-ties-with-ancient-rome/amp_articleshow/56530079.cms|access-date=2020-12-20|website=bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com}}</ref>

;Other objects
Other objects found included [[neolith]]s, a [[cist]] with a skeleton in it, pots containing bones and teeth of animals and a [[Bulla (amulet)|Roman bulla]]. One of the [[cist]]s also appeared to contain the legs of a [[sarcophagus]].<ref name="ama"/>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{commons category}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last= Aiyangar|first= S. Krishnaswami|authorlink=S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar|title= Some Contributions of South India to Indian Culture|origyear=1995|year= 1995|publisher= Asian Educational Services|isbn=81-206-0999-9}}
*{{cite book |last= Ghosh|first= Amalananda|title= An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology|origyear=1990|year= 1990|publisher= BRILL|isbn=90-04-09262-5}}
*{{cite book |author=Peter Neal Peregrine, Melvin Ember, Human Relations Area Files Inc.|title= Encyclopedia of Prehistory|origyear=2001|year= 2001|publisher= Springer|isbn=0-306-46262-1}}
{{refend}}

[[Category:History of Karnataka]]
[[Category:Former populated places in India]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Karnataka]]

Chandravalli - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 20:23, 13 August 2023