MP: 13 Rock Shelters of Mesolithic Period Found In Narsinghpur, Chhindwara District

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The directorate of state archaeology has found 13 rock shelters of mesolithic period in Narsinghpur and Chhindwara district for the first time. The state archaeology department will preserve the rock shelters, which are found in submerged areas by making its replicas for common man.  There are around 11 rock shelters in Vineki village of Narsinghpur district whereas one each in Gadagarh, Jamanpani and  Muarkala village in  Chhindwara district.

The rock shelters have rock paintings ((2nd century BC to 1st century AD) with some scenes of hunting and dancing. A rock shelter in Vineki showcases women warriors. The rock shelters were found during a survey carried out by archaeologists Ahmed Ali, DS Jodha and Waseem Khan recently.

“It is for the first time that rock shelters have been found in the Narsinghpur and Chhindwara district, especially in Gadagarh, Jamanpani and  Muarkala sites. It has great importance in archaeology,” Ali told Free Press.  According to Ali, some rock shelters are based in deep rivers, especially Vineki sites in Narsinghpur.

“We have a plan to save the rock paintings from submerging areas by making their replicas for people,” he said.  Ramesh Yadav, an archaeologist from the directorate, said department received a letter from the officials from Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA) who is constructing a dam under Shakkar Pench Link Sanyukt Pariyojana. “We sent some of our officials there for a survey.

They found that some of the rock shelters come under the project. We want to preserve it. Local administration assured of providing a suitable place for this,” Yadav added.