Ulavalagondi 1 Crevice
15.333300,78.141700
Description
The up to 4.4 m wide cave entrance faces north and gives access to a south-north trending cave passage, which narrows down to 1 m in width. A horizontal length of 14 m was palaeontologically excavated to a depth of 11 m. ETYMOLOGY: Unknown. The Telugu »Ulavalagondi« or »Ulavalagundi« (note 1), apparently from "olavu" (Telugu) a secret; "olamu" (Telugu) a shelter, cover, screen (KALYANARAMAN, S 1998: 5546) and "gondi" (Telugu) corner, lane (BURROW, T & EMENAU, M B 1984: 2100), may be the same as the English word "crevice" (note 2) for a rift cave or bedding plane passage. SITUATION: In the range of about 1.5 km (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: 3, 1995 Mss: 2; VENUGOPAL RAO & RAO 1994: 134) or about 2 km (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss) approximately north-west of Patapadu (road fork N15°19'43”: E78°09'32” Everest 1830), and somewhere between –>Mogasaraynagondi Gavi and –>Yerrazari Gavi. SITUATION 1993: The entrance to the »Ulavalagondi crevice (Ulg-1)« lies 100 m east from one »Ulg-2 crevice« in the same cliff (VENUGOPAL RAO & RAO 1993: 295). SITUATION 1994: The »Ulavalagondi crevice« lies at an unspecified distance of »2 km north west of Patapadu village [note 3] between the Mogasarayanigondi cave [note 4] and the Errajarigavi cave [note 5] of the Yaganti group of caves« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: 3) SITUATION 1995a: »Ulavalagundi crevice … west of Patapadu« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1995 Mss: 1). SITUATION 1995b: »Ulavalagundi crevice … 1 1/2 km N.W. of Patapadu, Kurnool district« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1995 Mss: 2). POSITION: N15°20'00”: E78°08'30” (unidentified precision error ±1.8 km, unspecified geodetic datum probably Everest 1830, Venugopal Rao & Rao 1993 Mss: 10; Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: 6; Rao & Venugopal Rao 1995 Mss: 2). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The north-south aligned rift cave passage has a maximum width of 4.4 m at the northern end from where it narrows down towards south to an average width of 1 m. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1994a: »This long narrow crevice … large boulders and thick talus cover on the northern extension of the crevice. During this field season, the huge talus cover was removed through painstaking method so as to expose the extensive crevice. Excavation was extended down to a depth of 11 m along a length of 14 m in the N-S alignment. The crevice has the maximum width of 4.4 m at the northern end but becomes gradually narrow towards south with average width of 1 m. In the northern part, the crevice abruptly narrows downward from a width of about 50 cm at the top to only 1.5 cm at the bottom. While it terminates as a narrow fissure towards north, the crevice opens out into an east-west valley towards the south« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: 3). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1994b: »The crevice, 9 m long and 1.7 m wide was excavated down to a maximum of depth of 11 m. The cave sediments comprise assorted angular fragments of limestone along with clay and silt. The three-fold stratigraphy common to almost all the caves in Kurnool district, was conspicuously absent in this crevice. Howevr, a gradual increase of redness was noticed in the clay towards the bottom« (VENUGOPAL RAO & RAO 1994: 134). The sediment encountered is comprised of angular limestones fragments, clay and silt. The three-fold stratigraphy common to almost all caves in the Kurnool district was conspicuously absent in this crevice. A gradual increase in redness towards the bottom of the infilling was observed. The litholog lists A) 4 m talus cover: Large chunks of limestone boulders with grey silt above B) 5 m roof collapse debris: Large to medium sized limestone boulders with small fragments of limestone and silt above C) 2 m accumulated sediment: Black to brown silt with small and occasionally large angular limestone fragments with abundant microvertebrate remains above D) 4 m residual clay: Brown to red silt with small angular limestone fragments with less microvertebrate remains above E) 0.25 m of bottom residual clay: Fine brown silt and clay with occasional microvertebrate remains. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1995: »Ulavalagundi crevice … 9 m long and 1.7 m wide, was excavated to a depth of 11 metres. The cave sediments comprise assorted angular fragments of limestones along ith clay and silt. The three fold stratigraphy common to almost all caves in Kurnool district was conspicuously absent in this crevice. However, a gradual increase of redness was noticed in the clay towards the bottom« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1995 Mss: 2-3) CAVE LIFE: Palaentological excavation yielded »a microvertebrate assemblage comprising cheropters [sic! qua: Chiroptera], rodents and insectivores represented by skull fragments, mandibles, isolated teeth and limb bones. One isolated molar tooth of Presbytes cf. johni [primate] was also recovered from the crevice« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1995 Mss: 3).
NOTE 1: So far, I the name of this rift cave spelled »Ulavalagondi crevice« (Venugopal Rao & Rao 1993 Mss: 5; Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: passim; VENUGOPAL RAO & RAO 1994: 134) and »Ulavalagondi crevice (Ulg-1)« (VENUGOPAL RAO & RAO 1993: 295), or »Ulavalagundi crevice« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: 6; Rao & Venugopal Rao 1995 Mss: 2). NOTE 2: "crevice" (English, noun) a narrow opening or fissure, esp. in a rock or wall (OXFORD DICTIONARY 2005) from "crevace" (Old French) from "crever" (Old French) to burst, from "crepare" (Latin) to rattle, crack. NOTE 3: Patapadu is shown near N15°19'43”: E78°09'32” Everest 1830) on Survey of India sheet 56-i/3 (edition 1983) at a travelling distance of 7 km along the road from Banganapalle (Banaganapalle N15°18'45”: E78°13'30”: 225 m asl, Everest 1830) east towards Pyapali (Pyapalle N15°14': E77°44') but Rao & Venugopal Rao (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: 6 locality index) position Patapadu at N15°16'30”: E78°09'40” (unspecified geodetic datum probably Everest 1839). NOTE 4: »Mogasarayanigondi Cave« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: 3) appears to be the same as the site »Mogasarayanigondi« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: 6 locality index) near N15°20'30”: E78°08'20” (unspecified geodetic datum probably Everest 1830). NOTE 5: »Errajarigavi cave« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: 3), the –>Yerra Zari Gavi, also: »Errazarigavi« (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1994 Mss: 6 locality index) near N15°20'40”: E78°05'30” (unspecified geodetic datum probably Everest 1830).
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1991: C.V.N.K. Rao & Ch. Venugopal Rao investigated (Rao & Venugopal Rao 1993 Mss). 1992 March to May: C.V.N.K. Rao & Ch. Venugopal Rao (1994 Mss 1991-1992: 1) commenced palaeontological excavations in »two caves, namely the Ulavalagondi crevice situated west of Patapadu and Nagabushi Gondi cave located west of Ramaram. The physical target achieved under this item during 1991-92 include reconnaissance survey of 60 L.km, excavations of 30 Cu m in two caves and collection of 100 samples. … Field work was carried out between March to May 1992.« Rao & Venugopal Rao (1995 Mss 1992-1993: 1-2) confirm that »during 1991-92, excavations were carried out in two caves, namely the Ulavalagundi crevice situated west of Patapadu and Nagabushi Gondi cave located west of Ramaram.« 1993 March to May: C.V.N.K. Rao & Ch. Venugopal Rao (1995 Mss 1992-1993: 2) continued palaeontological excavation (VENUGOPAL RAO 1991: 247-248; VENUGOPAL RAO & RAO 1993: 294-295, 1994: 134-135).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.7 | YERRA ZARI SPRING & CAVE | ||
| 0.9 | YAGANTI SECOND RAVINE CAVE (Foote 1884a: 33) | ||
| 1.0 | MOGASARAYANAGONDI CAVE | ||
| 1.5 | JURRERU VALLEY ROCKSHELTERS | ||
| 1.6 | YERRA ZARI GAVI | ||
| 1.8 | Ulavalagondi 2 Crevice | ||
| 1.9 | YAGANTI, 3rd (Cave at) | ||
| 1.9 | YAGANTI, 2nd (Cave at) | ||
| 1.9 | YAGANTI, 1st (Cave at) |