Edakkal Caves, Prehistoric cave complex in Wayanad, India
Edakkal Caves are two natural rock chambers positioned at 1,200 meters elevation on Ambukutty Mala mountain in Wayanad, India. The chambers form a narrow passage with walls covered in hundreds of carvings showing human figures, animals, and abstract symbols.
A British official named Fred Fawcett came across these chambers by chance in 1890 while exploring the area and recognized their significance. Researchers date the carvings to different periods between 6,000 BCE and 1,000 BCE, documenting several successive waves of occupation.
The name means 'stone in between' in the local language, referring to a natural boulder wedged between the two rock chambers. Visitors today follow the same narrow passage that ancient travelers used, passing beneath the wedged stone to enter the upper chamber.
Reaching the chambers requires about 45 minutes on a steep 1.5-kilometer trail that can become slippery in sections. Access is available Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 to 16:00, and sturdy footwear is strongly recommended.
Some symbols on the walls resemble signs from the Indus civilization, including a figure holding a cup identified in 2009. This similarity raises questions about possible early trade connections between distant regions.
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