Hyderabad: Prehistoric rock paintings, including unusually decorated human figures, animal depictions and megalithic burials, have been documented in the forested hillocks of Mulugu district, adding to the growing evidence of Telangana’s ancient human history.
The discoveries were made by Gaddam Kranthi Kumar and Tati Sambasiva Rao Dora, members of the Public Research Institute for History, Archaeology and Heritage (PRIHAH), during field explorations in the Bandlapahad forests, about 30 km from Mulugu town. The findings were documented under the guidance of the institute’s general secretary, M.A. Srinivasan, assistant professor at Suravaram Pratap Reddy Telugu University.
According to PRIHAH, the rock shelters of Moddugutta, Darvajalagutta and Nemaligutta contain paintings that can be linked to the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Megalithic periods, dating roughly from 10,000 to 1,000 years ago.
The paintings include human-like figures, deer, bulls, tortoises, foxes, wild buffaloes and geometric designs. Most are painted in red, while some are in white. Srinivasan said weathering had damaged some of the images, making identification difficult.
Among the most significant discoveries are two large anthropomorphic figures at Moddu Gutta. One stands upright and is covered with decorative patterns, while the other appears in a horizontal position with distinctive ornamentation around the head and neck. The figures also display superimposition, where newer paintings were created over older ones.
“These human figures are among the most artistically detailed examples found in Telangana. Similar figures have been reported earlier at Bommala Loddi near Tadvai, but the Moddu Gutta paintings are more elaborate,” Srinivasan said.
Darvajalagutta contains tortoise depictions and layered paintings, while the Nemaligutta site features white-coloured images of deer and bulls. Researchers also identified three megalithic dolmen burials near Nemaligutta, indicating human habitation in the area during the Megalithic period.
Prehistoric rock art expert Bandi Muralidhar Reddy said the human figures were unique and had not been documented in this style before. He confirmed that the paintings belonged to the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Megalithic periods.
The team also documented a cave at Moddugutta measuring about four metres wide, five metres high and 15 metres long. The presence of cup marks and Neolithic grooves on nearby rocks suggests that the area may have served as a settlement during the Neolithic age.
Srinivasan said the numerous rock art sites and megalithic burials found across Mulugu should be preserved as a single heritage zone. He urged the government to protect the sites and develop the district as a heritage and tourism destination.
PRIHAH noted that since Stone Age paintings were first reported in Mulugu district by former archaeology department official S.S. Rangachari in 1990 at Kossegutta and Bommalaloddi, similar discoveries have been recorded across six hillocks in the district. Rangachari said the region between Basara and Bhadrachalam contained extensive prehistoric evidence and called for systematic exploration and conservation of these sites.
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