SATKUNDA ROCK SHELTERS

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A group of 20 (twenty) speleologically unexplored painted rock-shelters (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1982-83 / 1985: 39, 49) possibly consist of true caves with a dark, if not aphotic or stygian zone. ETYMOLOGY: Satkunda, seven (7) lakes, pools, springs (of water). SITUATION: At linear distnaces of about 20 km or 15 km east of Bhopal (note 1) and 4 km north of the National Highway NH86 in the area covered by the Ratanpur State Forest and in the headwaters of the Maniar Nadi, which sinks at several places in its course to the orographically left (locally western) bank of the Betwa (river). Here, the so-called rock shelters (or caves) are found in unidentified spatial relations not only to each other but also to the populated place Satkunda 1603 ± (AMS sheet NF43-04 Bhopal, U502 series, 1959 edition). SITUATION 1985: In Satkunda (77°37' E 23°17'N) 27 km south-west of Raisen [note 2] on Raisen - Bhopal road (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1982-83 / 1985: 39). CULTURAL HISTRY -- rock art: The paintings were drawn in white, yellow ochre and dark red colours depicting wild animals as well as domesticated animals, archers, dancers, and trees (pl. 26). There are instances of super-imposition. For example, depiction of ladies' purses suspended from a tree, is found in dark red as well as in white colours. Microliths were found only in a few shelters (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1982-83 / 1985: 39, 49 plate 26).RY -- rock art: The paintings were drawn in white, yellow ochre and dark red colours depicting wild animals as well as domesticated animals, archers, dancers, and trees (pl. 26). There are instances of super-imposition. For example, depiction of ladies' purses suspended from a tree, is found in dark red as well as in white colours. Microliths were found only in a few shelters (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1982-83 / 1985: 39, 49 plate 26).