D. Ravinder Reddy and Dr. Muralidhar Reddy have discovered Mesolithic rock paintings in Seetamma Loddy, Telangana.Seethamma Loddy is located at Gattusingaram in Peddapalli district.The rock paintings found here belong to the Mesolithic period (10,000-12,000 years ago) and the early historic period (1st BC to 6th century). They were found on a large sandstone rock in the forest.A fossil stone containing shells has also been found which suggests that the site is approximately 65 million years old.Dr. Muralidhar Reddy has described the site as a “diamond mine” of rock paintings, like Pandavula Gutta located in Jayashankar Bhupalapalli district.
Pictures found on rock paintings
- There are depictions of human figures on it.
- Both men and women are performing group dance in line and round patterns.
- Everyone is holding each other’s hands and wearing special types of shoes.
- A picture of a person with a bow and arrow has been found.
- Several handprints of different sizes in red color were found in some of the paintings.
- Some white and yellow handprints have also been found, which are rare.
- Among other figures, footprints of some animals like deer, antelope, tortoise, wild cat, carnivores, monkeys, wild lizards are prominent.
Stone age
- In the Stone Age, humans used stones to make tools.
The Stone Age is divided into three phases
- Paleolithic period: Period – 500,000 – 10,000 B.C.
- Mesolithic period: Period – 10,000 – 6000 B.C.
- Neolithic period: Period – 6000 – 1000 B.C.
Mesolithic period
- The Mesolithic site in India was first discovered by C.L. Carlyle did this in Vindhya region in the year 1867 AD.
- The tools of the Mesolithic period are extremely small in size.
- The humans of this period were mostly dependent on hunting, but now they started hunting cows, bulls, sheep, goats, buffaloes etc.
- These people had also learned to do some agriculture.
- By the last stage, he had also learned to make utensils.
- The mausoleums of Sarayanahar Rai and Mahdaha also provide information about the funeral rites of the people of this period.
- They buried the dead in mausoleums and also kept food items, tools and weapons along with them.
- Perhaps this was indicative of belief in some kind of extraterrestrial life.