India - Maharashtra - Goa - Geoglyphs of Konkan Region of India

 

1.	Maharashtra	Kasheli	16˚ 46ʹ 0.3ʺ N; 73˚ 18ʹ 31.60ʺE
2.	Maharashtra	RundhyeTali	16˚44ʾ16.9ʺ N; 73˚30ʹ58.2768ʺE
3.	Maharashtra	DevacheGothane	17˚ 5ʹ 53.80ʺ N; 73˚ 22ʹ 36.12ʺ E
4.	Maharashtra	Barsu	16˚38ʾ58.54ʺ N; 73˚28ʹ28.44ʺE
5.	Maharashtra	Devi Hasol	16˚44ʾ16.9ʺ N; 73˚30ʹ58.2768ʺE
6.	Maharashtra	Jambharun	17˚ 5ʹ 53.80ʺ N; 73˚ 22ʹ 36.12ʺ E
7.	Maharashtra	Kudopi	16°15'26.8"N 73°31'00.4"E
8.	Maharashtra	Ukshi	17˚ 7 ̍ 56.31” N 73 ˚26 ̍ 1.28” E
9.	Goa	Pansaymol	15°07'15.1"N 74°07'59.1"E

Rock art in India is one of oldest material evidence of the country's early human creativity. These are generally in the form of rock paintings, rock etchings, cup marks and ring marks found all over India. However, the large concentration of geoglyphs on the laterite plateaus (Sada) of the Konkan region (south western Maharashtra to Southern Karnataka) is the most remarkable open-air ensemble of prehistoric human expression of rock art in the Konkan region (south western Maharashtra to Southern Karnataka) from Mesolithic (10Kya) to Early Historic (1.7Kya.).

Geoglyphs are rock art produced on the surface earth either by positioning rocks, rock fragments or by reduction technique i.e. carving out or removing part of a rock surface to form a design. These are a critical typology of material heritage being the only evidence pointing to the presence of human settlement in the Konkan region and, from a stylistic analysis, their features point to their continued existence from Mesolithic era till early historic era and possibly, were contemporary to other Deccan Chalcolithic cultures. Further, these are also the key proof of existence of certain types of faunal lifeforms that are no longer present in the region today.

Known as Aparanta, the Konkan region was a culturally vibrant land since the early historical period. The region witnessed flourishing trading activities complex maritime and inland trade linkages. It was connected to the Western Ghats through major communication corridors (called ghats) and the landscape were dotted with numerous forts, to protect the series of ports that were the critical linkage between the subcontinental and foreign shores. This made Konkon region the most sought after political-geography, contested by the Mauryas, Satvahanas, Shilaharas, Rashtrakutas, Kalchuris, Chalukyas, Vijaynagaras, Deccan Sultanates, Mughals, Marathas, also by the colonial powers such as Portuguese, Dutch and later the British alike.