The Maharashtra government has declared the geoglyphs and petroglyphs in Ratnagiri as ‘protected monuments’ under the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.
- The group of petroglyphs at Deud, Ratnagiri, dates back to the Mesolithic era (roughly 20,000-10,000 years ago).
- Geoglyphs and petroglyphs are different types of ancient art forms. They involve the creation of images or designs on the earth’s surface or rock surfaces.
- The petroglyphs in Maharashtra depict a rhino, deer, monkey, donkey, and footprints. The group of petroglyphs in the Konkan region are important as they represent the creations of Mesolithic humans.
- The total area around the monument to be protected is 210 sq metres. While seven, including a 17-ft long petroglyph, have been discovered in Umbarle village, Dapoli taluka, the eighth is in Borkhat village, Mandangad taluka.
- Geoglyphs are spread across the 900 km of the Konkan coast in Maharahstra and Goa.
- Ratnagiri alone is home to more than 1,500 such artworks across 70 sites, seven of which are on the Unesco’s tentative World Heritage list.
