UpdateBot at 17:19, 25 June 2022

2022-06-25T17:19:42Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
{{short description|Caves and archaeological site in India}}
{{Infobox ancient site
| name = Edakkal Caves
| native_name = '''ഇടക്കൽ ഗുഹകൾ'''
| native_name_lang =
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| image =
{{Photomontage
| photo1a = Edakkal Cave.jpg
| photo2a = Edakkal caves.JPG
| photo2b = Cave at Edakkal(Inside).JPG
| photo3a = Edakkal Caves 0423.jpg
| photo3b = View from edakkal caves 03.jpg
| size = 220
| position = center
| spacing = 3
| color = #FFFFFF
| border = 3
| color_border = green
}}
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| map =
| map_type = India Kerala#India
| map_alt = Edakkal Caves
| map_caption = location in Kerala, India
| map_size = 240
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| relief = yes
| coordinates = {{coord|11|37|28.81|N|76|14|8.88|E|display=inline,title}}
| gbgridref =
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| location = [[Wayanad district]] of [[Kerala]]
| region = [[India]]
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| built = [[6th millennium BC|6000 BC ]]-[[1700s BC (decade)|1700 BC]]
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| discovered = Fred Fawcett in 1890
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}}
{{Keralahistory}}
'''Edakkal Caves''' are two natural caves at a remote location at [[Edakkal]], {{convert|25 |km|mi|1|abbr=on}} from [[Kalpetta]] in the [[Wayanad district]] of [[Kerala]] in [[India]]'s [[Western Ghats]]. They lie {{convert|1200 |m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level on Ambukutty Mala, near an ancient trade route connecting the high mountains of Mysore to the ports of the [[Malabar coast]]. Inside the caves are pictorial writings believed to date to at least 6,000 BCE,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://globalvisiontours.com/kerala/wayanad/edakkal-caves.aspx |title=Archived copy |access-date=18 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720031335/http://www.globalvisiontours.com/kerala/wayanad/edakkal-caves.aspx |archive-date=20 July 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/history-and-culture/article2331087.ece |title=Protecting megaliths to keep history alive ''The Hindu'' daily |access-date=18 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901110525/http://www.thehindu.com/arts/history-and-culture/article2331087.ece |archive-date=1 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> from the [[Neolithic]] man, indicating the presence of a prehistoric settlement in this region.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/28/stories/2007102851830300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029212550/http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/28/stories/2007102851830300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=2007-10-29 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Archaeologists rock solid behind Edakkal Cave | date=2007-10-28}}</ref> The [[Stone Age]] carvings of Edakkal are rare and are the only known examples from South India besides those of Shenthurini, Kollam also in Kerala.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wayanad.nic.in/edakkalcave.htm |title=Edakkal Caves |publisher=Wayanad.nic |access-date=2007-04-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060529222201/http://wayanad.nic.in/edakkalcave.htm |archive-date=29 May 2006 }}</ref>

The cave paintings of Shenthurini (Shendurney) forests in Kerala are of the Mesolithic era (middle stone-age).

== Petroglyphs ==
These are not technically caves, but rather a cleft, [[rift]] or rock shelter approximately {{convert|96|ft|m|abbr=on}} by {{convert|22|ft|m|abbr=on}}, a {{convert|30|ft|m|adj=mid|-deep}} [[fissure]] caused by a piece of rock splitting away from the main body. On one side of the cleft is a rock weighing several tons that covers the cleft to form the 'roof' of the cave. The carvings are of human and animal figures, tools used by humans and of symbols yet to be deciphered, suggesting the presence of a prehistoric settlement.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.wyd.kerala.gov.in/places.htm
|title = Edakkal Cave
|publisher = Kerala gov
|access-date = 2007-04-07
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070403172735/http://www.wyd.kerala.gov.in/places.htm
|archive-date = 2007-04-03
}}</ref>

The [[petroglyph]]s inside the cave are of at least three types. The oldest may date back to over 8,000 years. Evidence suggests that the Edakkal caves were inhabited several times at different points in history.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.edakkal.com/
|title=Edakkal Caves
|publisher=Edakkal Caves Website
|access-date=2007-04-07
}}</ref>

The caves were discovered by Fred Fawcett, a police official of the erstwhile Malabar state in 1890, who immediately recognised their anthropological and historical importance. He wrote an article about them, attracting the attention of scholars.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/06/stories/2006040602020200.htm
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109150447/http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/06/stories/2006040602020200.htm
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=2007-11-09
|title=Throwing new light on Edakkal Caves
|access-date=2007-04-07
|location=Chennai, India
|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]
|date=2006-04-06
}}</ref>

==Probable links with Indus valley civilization==
The caves contain drawings that range over periods from the [[Neolithic]] as early as 6,000 BC to 1,000 BCE. The youngest group of paintings have been in the news for a possible connection to the [[Indus Valley civilization]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/article142152.ece |title=‘Edakkal cave findings related to Indus Valley civilization |newspaper=The New Indian Express |date=2009-10-22 |access-date=2012-08-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/26510292/Sarasvati-River-Indus-Script-Ancient-Village-Or |title=Sarasvati River Indus Script Ancient Village Or |publisher=Scribd.com |access-date=2012-08-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Symbols-akin-to-Indus-valley-culture-discovered/Article1-459163.aspx |title=Symbols akin to Indus valley culture discovered |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=2009-09-29 |access-date=2012-08-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128222211/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Symbols-akin-to-Indus-valley-culture-discovered/Article1-459163.aspx |archive-date=2011-01-28 }}</ref>

Historian [[Raghava Varier]] of the ''Kerala State Archaeology Department'' identified a depiction as "man with jar cup" that is the most distinct motif of the Indus valley civilization.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/article26324.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Symbols akin to Indus valley culture discovered in Kerala | date=2009-09-29}}</ref> The finding, made in September 2009, indicates that the Harappan civilization was active in the region. The "a man with jar cup" symbol from Edakkal seems to be more similar to the Indus motif than those already known from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Mr. Varier said "The discovery of the symbols are akin to that of the Harappan civilization having predominantly Dravidian culture and testimony to the fact that cultural diffusion could take place. It is wrong to presume that the Indus culture disappeared into thin air." [[Iravatham Mahadevan]], a scholar of [[Indus script|Indus valley]] and gehsusue scripts said the findings were very significant, calling it a "major discovery".

==See also==
* [[Petroglyph]]
* [[Rock art]]
* [[Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka]]

==Image gallery==
<gallery>
File:Edakkal Stone Age Carving.jpg|[[Stone Age]] writing
File:Petroglyphs in Edakkal Caves.jpg|[[Petroglyph|Petroglyphs]] dating back to about 6000 BC
File:Ambukuthi mala.jpg|Light shining through Edakkal caves
File:View from the Edakkal caves.jpg|View of surroundings from Edakkal caves.
File:Edakkal, Wayanad, Kerala, India. (4649462247).jpg|Going up the caves
File:Kadamba inscription from Kerala.jpg|Prakrit Grantha inscription of Kadamba ruler Vishnuvarman (c. 5th-6th century CE) from Edakkal (northern Kerala)
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Edakkal Caves}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091003011154/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/02/18/stories/2006021801090300.htm On a history trail]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060818112024/http://www.cave-biology.org/ cave-biology.org] Cave biology (biospeleology) in India.
* [http://www.keralatourism.org/wayanad/edakkal-caves-ambukuthi-hills.php Kerala Trourism]

{{Kerala topics}}
{{Tourism in Kerala}}
{{Wayanad}}
{{Navbox prehistoric caves}}

[[Category:Archaeological cultures in India]]a
[[Category:Caves of Kerala]]
[[Category:Caves containing pictograms in India]]
[[Category:History of Kerala]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Kerala]]
[[Category:Ancient India]]
[[Category:Monuments of National Importance in Kerala]]
[[Category:Geography of Wayanad district]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Wayanad district]]

Edakkal Caves - Revision history

UpdateBot at 17:19, 25 June 2022