Edakkal Caves

Edakkal Caves are two natural caves located 1000 metres high on Ambukutty Mala 25 km from Kalpetta in the Wayanad district of Kerala in India's Western Ghats. They lie on an ancient trade route connecting the high mountains of Mysore to the Malabar coast ports. Inside the caves are pictorical writings believed to be from neolithic man, evidence of the presence of a prehistoric civilisation existing in this region. Such stone age carvings are very rare and these are the only known examples in southern India. [cite web
url=http://wayanad.nic.in/edakkalcave.htm
title=Edakkal Caves
publisher=Wayanad.nic
accessdate=2007-04-07]

Petroglyphs

These are not technically caves by rather a cleft or rift approximately 96 feet by 22 feet, a 30 foot deep fissure caused by a piece of rock splitting away from the main body. On one side of the cleft a rock weighing several tons has fallen over the fissure forming a roof. The carvings are of human and animal figures, as well as of tools used by humans and symbols, suggesting they were created by a highly civilised prehistoric people. [cite web
url=http://www.wyd.kerala.gov.in/places.htm
title=Edakkal Cave
publisher=Kerala gov
accessdate=2007-04-07]

The petroglyphs inside the cave are of at least three distinct types. The oldest may date back over 8000 years ago. Evidence indicates that the Edakkal caves had been inhabited at several different times in history. [cite web
url=http://www.edakkal.com/
title=Edakkal Caves
publisher=Edakkal Caves Website
accessdate=2007-04-07]

The caves were accidentally discovered by Fred Fawcett in 1890 who immediately understood their anthropological and historical importance. He subsequently wrote an article about them, attracting the attention of scholars. [cite web
url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/06/stories/2006040602020200.htm
title=Throwing new light on Edakkal Caves
publisher=The Hindu
accessdate=2007-04-07]

Tourism Information

Approximate time required to climb till top of the hill and down: 3-4 hours.

Entry to the hill closes by 4 PM.

Departmental Jeeps can be hired to travel initial few km till the foot of the hill..

Other nearby places- Soojippara water falls, Sultan Bather, Matunga Wildlife Sanctuary.

ee also

*petroglyph
*Rock art
*Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

Notes

External links

* [http://www.edakkal.com/ Edakkal Caves Website]
* [http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/02/18/stories/2006021801090300.htm On a history trail]
* [http://www.cave-biology.org cave-biology.org] Cave biology (biospeleology) in India.