GEOGLYPHS (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art and Culture)

Context: The Maharashtra government has designated 1,500 geoglyphs across 70 sites in Ratnagiri district, spanning 210 square kilometers, as protected monuments.

Geoglyphs

• About: These are colossal designs on the earth’s surface, created by excavating rock and removing sand, soil, and stone.
• Types: Geoglyphs can be anthropomorphic (human-like), zoomorphic (animal-like), or geometric shapes.
• Forms of Geoglyphs: They can represent naturalistic or abstract forms, either as a singular large figure or an ensemble of smaller figures.
• Visibility and Proportions: Due to their large size, geoglyphs are visible from a distance, indicating the creators' understanding of proportions and mathematics.
• Significance: Geoglyphs are often linked to religion and spirituality and are culturally significant, lasting as a testament to the civilizations that created them.
• Global Distribution: Ancient geoglyphs have been found across Europe, the Americas, Australia, Africa, Asia, the Near East, and India.

oSignificant geoglyphs include the Cerne Abbas Giant, the Uffington White Horse, the Atacama Giant, and the Nazca lines.

• World’s largest geoglyph: Eight geoglyph sites in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan.

The Geoglyphs of India

• Lack of Early Geoglyph Evidence: For a long time, India lacked known examples of geoglyphs despite its rich rock art heritage, which includes diverse painted motifs and petroglyphs in various regions.
• Discovery: In the 1980s, engineer and petroglyph conservationist Sudhir Risbud discovered abstract relief patterns near Niwali, Ratnagiri, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the Konkan region’s prehistoric research.
• Geoglyphs of Konkan Coastline: Approximately 1,500 geoglyphs are scattered along 900 km of the Konkan coastline, representing the largest concentration of geoglyphs on the laterite plateaus, with notable sites including Jambhrun, Kasheli, and Barsu.
• Notable Geoglyphs: At Barsu, one prominent geoglyph depicts a man with two leaping tigers across 17.5 by 4.5 meters, with stylistic parallels to Harappan Civilization motifs found on seals from Harappa and Mohenjo Daro.