Rock Art and Prehistoric Cultural Expressions at Karoor, Uttara Kannada

Author(s): Dr. Jagadish Asode and Dr. Madhuri Chougule

Abstract:

The newly documented petroglyph site at Karoor, situated within the Koppa Grama Panchayat of Bhatkal Taluk, Uttara Kannada District, Karnataka, represents a significant addition to the prehistoric cultural landscape of coastal Karnataka. Carved into a lateritic bedrock panel measuring roughly 12 metres in length and oriented north–south, the engravings display a sophisticated arrangement of zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures. Prominent among these are deer, bulls, and antelopes, often depicted in motion and surrounded by cupules, alongside a central female figure suggestive of fertility symbolism. Executed through pecking and abrasion techniques, the compositions evoke deliberate spatial planning and symbolic coherence-possibly representing ritual activity, ecological awareness, or mythic narrative. The presence of microlithic tools composed of quartz and chert, recovered in association with the site, points to a Late Stone Age (Mesolithic) cultural phase. Beyond artistic expression, these engravings reflect the cognitive and social evolution of early communities inhabiting the Western Ghats. The imagery appears to encode themes of fertility, protection, and cosmic balance, aligning with broader prehistoric traditions across peninsular India. The Karoor petroglyphs thus bridge art, ecology, and spirituality, underscoring the inseparable relationship between human adaptation and symbolic expression. This discovery not only enriches the corpus of rock art in southern India but also highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts, as such open-air sites remain vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic threats.

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