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A Micro-Regional Approach to the Rock Art Sites in the Anjunad Valley, South Central Kerala

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A Micro-Regional Approach to the Rock Art Sites in the Anjunad Valley, South Central Kerala A Micro-regional Approach to the Rock Art Sites in the Anjunad Valley, South Central Kerala N. Nihildas1 1. Archaeological Survey of India, Bangalore Circle, Kendriya Sadan, Koramangala, Bangalore – 560034, Karnataka (Email: [email protected]) Received: 13 August 2014; Accepted: 07 September 2014; Revised: 01 October 2014 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 2 (2014): 593-624 Abstract: The present study focused on a micro-regional analysis of the rock art sites in the Anjunad Valley, part of Southern Western Ghats and located on the eastern fringes of the Idukki district. The Anjunad Valley is the only region in Kerala where rock painting is discovered. Previous archaeological documentation in the area had brought to light a number of rock art sites. However, a detailed study of this area was not attempted earlier. The micro-regional approach helped in better understanding of not only the style, theme and technique but also the distribution, location and landscape aspects of rock art sites in the Anjunad Valley. Keywords: Anjunad Valley, Kerala, Rock Art, Red Ochre, Kaolin, Ethnographic Analogy, Relative Chronology Introduction India is one of the countries in the world having varieties of rock art sites. Like Africa and Australia, India also possesses a great rock art tradition. To study and understand these divergent cultural imprints, attempts are being conducted by various scholars since the 18th century (Fawcett 1892; 1901; John 1899; Francke 1902; Gordon 1951; Kumar 2001; Chandramouli 2002, Bednarik 2007). The discovery of Bhimbetka in central India stimulated the rock art studies in India to grow as an independent discipline (Wakankar and Brooks 1976). Thereafter, the scholars started looking into the rock art corpus in a more refined manner with adherent classification, synthesis, analysis, conservation and management of rock art sites (Mathpal 1984; Neumayer 1983; Pandey 1993; Chakrabarthi 1997). These scholars employed a wide range of methodology and concepts for interpretation of rock art. The main methods employed were the classification of motifs on the basis of style, thematic representation and use of analogies, etc. However, over a period of time, researches taken places all over the world have proven that, mere description and the age old theory of cultural succession of hunting-gathering to food producing community by indirect analogies does not hold ground today (Chandramouli 2002). Actually there has been a growing need and argument for cautious and critical approach to rock art study. It is argued that rock art ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 2: 2014 needs to be studied as part of the larger body of cognitive functional representation of human societies (Selvakumar 2011:365). Rock Art Settings The rock art under present investigation is situated on the foothills of Anaimalai and Palani Hill tracts, a funnel like valley formed in a varying altitude of 400 to 2500 m AMSL (Fig.1). This area is located in the eastern fringes of Idukki District about 42 km northeast of Munnar, one of the famous tourist destinations of south central Kerala. Topographically this region is seen as elongated spurs separated by extensive ravines to merge with the relatively gentler slopes to the table land of Marayoor-Chinnar and extended up to the low land of Udumelpet (Soman 2002: 4). The predominant rock form is Charnockitic gneisses and a variety of gneisses rock. The rock art places in Anjunad Valley may be found in the ragged cliff, hilltops, and hillocks. They are noticeable all over this valley especially along the long strip of river Pambar and its tributaries. The art occurs on the walls and ceilings of rock shelters, open air boulders and pavements of river beds which are located in the vicinity Iron Age-Early Historic monuments. Regional History The present-day tribal communities in the Anjunad Valley have a clear distinction for the ‘cave’ and ‘shelter’ in their language. The people in the Anjunad call ‘Ala’ for shelters and ‘Guha’ for caves, respectively. And ‘Ezhuthu’ means writing or paintings; thus they call the shelter or rock surface having paintings or engravings as ‘Ezhuthala’ or Ezhuthupara’ (Para means Rock) (Kurian 2011: 74). Likewise, some of the shelters are known as ‘Patti’ means cattle pens. Since earlier times until now, the tribes in the Anjunad Valley are engaged in cattle rearing. In the historical times they never owned cattle; instead cattle were handed over to them just to look after during the winter by agricultural people living on tablelands. The wage or profit was shared in form of products and goods in the barter system. Hence, during the rainy season these shelters were used as pens to accommodate cattle for overnight that may normally extend to weeks. Another interesting aspect of these rock shelters in the Chinnar locality is that some of the shelters are known as ‘Payeevarum Ala’; meaning those shelters were used for releasing the spirit or ghost from the human body (Kurian 2011:75). Sometime people used this shelter as a temporary settlement. Likewise one family in Marayoor Ur Gramam still uses a shelter partially as residence. Now a day these shelters are being used by locals for hunting and resting. The broken pots, grinding and pounding stones and animal bones etc. suggest a clear evidence of occupation. At present, some of these shelters located deep inside the forest are a favorite dwelling of robbers and sandal smugglers. Previous Study In 1974 Padmanabhan Tampi undertook a Ph.D. topic by focusing on Marayoor. He discovered three painted rock shelters from the Marayoor region of the Anjunad 594 Nihildas 2014: 593-624 Figure 1: Location Map of Anjunad Valley Valley. These shelters, known as Ezhuthala are situated near Marayoor Town in Koodakkad area of Marayoor forest, Attala in the same forest division of Pallanad area and Pulachikummati Alai, near Chambakkad tribal settlement of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. He also noticed a painted dolmen at Dindikombur on the way to 595 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 2: 2014 Kanthaloor (Tampi 1983:146). It is significant to note that about 14 years prior to Tampi’s discovery, Victor Rosner had noted paintings of knives and hooks inside a massive Dolmen (Rosner 1959: 179). After Tampi’s work, there was a lull for rock art research of the Anjunad Valley until Mathpal (1998: 41-45) undertook systematic documentation. Since 1990-2004 more than five rock shelters were discovered by this eco-tourism member which was lead by Mr. Eswaran Alampetti and Dhanushkodi (The Hindu 2004, June 6). Although these sites occasionally used to appear in news papers, regional magazines and channels, it did not attract any scholars. It was in 2008, Dr. Rajan Gurukkal, Ex-Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, made a visit to this area. (Gurukkal 2011: 273-79). During this time another interested person, who got interested in rock art during his nature studies brought out a list of rock art sites from the Anjunad Valley. He discovered more than 15 sites from the eastern portion of Anaimalai Hills (Kurian 2011: 73-86). In recent years the State Department of Archaeology, conducted a systematic survey to document the rock art and megalithic remains of the region (Pers. Comm., Director, State Department, Kerala, 2010-11). The author also conducted a number of explorations in the region to discover and document the rock art heritage of Anjunad Valley. Distribution of Sites Rock paintings found in Anjunad Valley can be grouped into paintings (pictographs) and engravings (petroglyphs). About 20 rock paintings and more than 4 engravings are noticed so far (Fig.2). Rock paintings are located in different localities of various altitudes. These paintings are found in the hillock, mountain cliffs, close to streams, solitary rocks and cavities. At one site, Chenganperu (dolmen-3 from the northern side of the site) it has been noticed inside dolmens as well. In fact many of the rock shelters in Anjunad Valley are located as a cluster close to the present Hill Pulayans settlements (Table 1). Image Analysis A total 20 rock painted sites and 4 petroglyphs were reported so far from the Anjunad valley (Tampi 1976, 1983, 2004; Gurukkal 2011; Kurian and Das 2010; Kurian 2011). Out of 20 sites, 9 sites were red ochre painted and 9 sites yielded kaolin paintings. Remaining two sites were noticed with the both red and white pigments. Besides this one site of kaolin pigment was noticed from a Dolmen as well. Petroglyphs were also reported but confined to 4 sites only (Kurian 2011; Das et al. 2013). To understand the sites further, the motifs were divided as animal figures, human/anthropomorphic figures and designs and symbols. Animal Figures Animal figures have been noticed from almost all the sites. They comprise of Sambar, Humped bull, Cattle, Nilgai, Elephant, Horse, Lizard, Monkey, Nilgai Thar, Mongoos, etc. Among these Sambar and Bull/Cattle are predominantly seen. Kaolin paintings depict more animals when compared to red ochre and kaolin. While free standing 596 Nihildas 2014: 593-624 Figure 2: Distribution of Rock art sites in the Anjunad Valley outline motifs are mostly observed in red ochre, in kaolin, they are either in moving posture or free standing along with a men or group of animals (Fig.3). Out of 70 animal motifs recorded, 25 are belonging to red ochre and 45 are of kaolin (Figs.4a and 4b). Human/Anthropomorphic Figures The Anjunad Valley paintings yielded a number of human/anthropomorphic figures in different style and shape. Out of 98 motifs recorded in white pigment 60 human and 38 anthropomorphic figures were noticed (Figs.5a and 5b). In case of red ochre, out of 13 figures, 7 human and 6 anthropomorphic figures were found.
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