Anantapur: Historians suspect the ‘death sentence’ paintings was during the Mesolithic period at Gandikota fort.
The paintings reveal the ‘death sentences’ during every full moon day. Further the white pigments, used Koalin and ground calcite, haematite and fats of animals to prepare the paintings.
Mesolithic period rock art paintings identified the top of the historic Gandikota fort in Kadapa district of Rayalaseema region.
During a two-day-long study, the members of the Rock Art Society of India identified rock paintings with white pigments.
“We identified the exclusive rock paintings of white pigments during a study on the hill top of Gandikota fort. It was a sudden and unexpected identification of white pigments in different structures,” Mr Suresh, historian and also advocate from Proddatur said.
Rock Art Society of India members Katta Srinivas Khammam and Bhaskar K. Kanigeri along with Mr Suresh carried out the study at Gandikota fort. The fort is spread over 8 kms at Erramala Hills on the North side and the valley appears like a protection wall for the fort.
Amateur archaeologists had identified the Mesolithic period rock paintings at Gandikota fort in Kadapa district three years ago.
Ramakrishna Reddy and Lakshmi Kanta Reddy were on a visit to the fort when they discovered the paintings. They found the paintings on the rocky surface at Peddakona, also known as Dongalakona, located next to Farah Bagh area on the way from the Anantapadmanabha temple of the fort to the gorge of the river Penna.
The paintings with representative geometrical designs are seen on a big boulder executed in red ochre. The lines painted in the shape of rectangles, triangles and circles denote abstract forms of some animals.
The Cultural Centre of Vijayawada had inspected the site and confirmed that the rock paintings belong to the Mesolithic period datable to 10,000-8000.
The paintings executed on a big rock (5.0 mts x 2.00 mts) and vary in size from 1.5 mts to 2.00 mts in length and 0.50 mts to 6.5 mts in height in outline and rendering is done with a single thick brush stroke.
“We observed that a large number of paintings show the death penalty during the period. The entire process was seen through the paintings” Mr Suresh briefed.
