CHITRAKOT CAVES (Cooper 1983)
19.050000,81.708300
Location
Unidentified »rock shelters and caves« exist along the top of an escarpment exposing sandstone and quartzite in an 100 square kilometre large area (10 km in square) south of Chitrakot (COOPER, Z M 1983: 1). SITUATION: At an unspecified distance (apparently in a direct line) of 10 miles or »about 16 km south of the Chitrakot« (note 1) and somewhere in the area »between 19°-19°6' N and 81°40'-81°45 E« (Cooper, Zarine M in: Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1980-1981 / 1983: 31-32). GEOLOGY: Some 45 million tonnes limestone occur as flat-topped, oval-shaped hummocks in a certain »Potonjar - Baranji area« (RAMAKRISHNAN 1969) about 20 km along the road from Jagdalpur (19°04'N: 82°02'E) to Chitrakot (19°11'N: 81°43'E). CAVE POTENTIAL: »The survey around Michanar covering an area about 100 sq km between 19°-19°6' N and 81°40'-81°45 E [N19°00': E81°40' to N19°06': E81°45'] yielded five caves and thirty-four rock-shelters, which may be divided into three groups: Maerar Pakna series with four caves and twenty-two rock shelters; the Dhodra Konta group having nine shelters; and the Jam Jaria group having one cave and three shelters. The largest of the caves is approximately 30 sq m in area and the smallest 4 sq m. No habitational deposit was encountered« (Cooper, Zarine M in: Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1980-1981 / 1983: 31-32). ARCHAEOLOGY: The sites proved to be rather disappointing in spite of several soundings and test-pits investigated between 1978 and 1980. »No habitational deposit was encountered« (Zarine M Cooper in: Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1980-1981 / 1983: 32). As always, »… a thorough investigation in future might be rewarding« (COOPER, Zarine M 1983).
NOTE 1: Chitrakot (also: Chitrakut, literally: beautiful fort) near 19°11'N: 81°43'E on Survey of India sheet 65-E/12 (not seen my be) is not shown AMS sheet NE44-03 Jabalpur (U502 series, 1963 edition) but in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 95 H1) at a travelling distance of 36 km approximately ENE from Jagdalpur (19°04'N: 82°02'E).
Documents
Bibliography 28/02/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1979-1980: »Kumari Z. M. Cooper of the Department of Archaeology, Poona University, under the guidance of Dr. V. N. Misra, carried out exploration in an area of 72 sq km around the Chitrakot Falls … Mesolithic factory sites … A few small rock-shelters were also discovered along the summit of the escarpment, facing the village of Michanagar« (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] 1979-80 / 1983: 39-40). 1980-1981: Zarine M. Cooper »of the Department of Archaeology, Deccan College, Pune, carried out exploration in the area around Chitrakot Falls and village Michanar with a view (i) to obtaining specimens of plants used by the local tribals for food, fishing, medicinal use and construction and (ii) to finding out additional archaeological evidences for human occupation« (Indian Archaeology: A Review [IAR] (1980-1981 / 1983: 31-32).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | MAERAR PAKNA CAVE 1 | ||
| 0.0 | DHODRA KONTA SHELTER 1 | ||
| 0.0 | JAM JARIA CAVE | ||
| 0.0 | MAERAR PAKNA CAVE 2 | ||
| 0.0 | MAERAR PAKNA CAVE 3 | ||
| 0.0 | MAERAR PAKNA CAVE 4 | ||
| 0.0 | MAERAR PAKNA SHELTERS | ||
| 0.0 | DHODRA KONTA SHELTER 2 | ||
| 0.0 | DHODRA KONTA SHELTER 3 |