Archaeologists and nature enthusiasts have discovered a Stone Age cave site in the dense forests of Sandur taluk, Ballari district, announced Ballari Deputy Commissioner Prashant Kumar Mishra at a media conference on Wednesday. The discovery was made by a team from the Ballari Heritage Trust and Robert Bruce Foote Sangankal Archaeological Museum, led by archaeologist Ravi Korishettar and environmentalist Samad Kottur, near Navaluti. They found microlithic stone tools similar to those at well-known Mesolithic sites in India.
“The animal bones discovered, which include domesticated cattle and goats, provide indisputable evidence of Stone Age cave occupation,” Mr. Mishra said. The team, which included Santosh Martin, Sonia Martin, M. Ahiraj, and several archaeology students, made this significant find.
Geologists and environmentalists have explored the Sandur forests since the late 19th century, focusing on biodiversity, geological history, and the region’s economic potential. However, the timing of Stone Age human arrival in the area for subsistence resources remains uncertain. Archaeologists aim to identify sites within the vast 1,000 sq km forested area of the Sandur Schist Belt.
The Navaluti cave discovery, featuring microlithic tools likely over 10,000 years old, marks the first evidence of high-altitude cave habitation in India. Comparable caves exist in Sri Lanka, dating back 50,000 years, and in northeast India from the Neolithic period, but none as high as Navaluti’s 850 m elevation.
This provisional conclusion highlights the need for further investigation to determine the age of the microliths accurately. Mr. Mishra mentioned that a request would be made to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for further research and study.
