12,000-year-old rock paintings found in India

Experts have found a pre-historic cave with rock paintings dating back to 12,000 years in the Satpura mountain ranges on the border of the Indian states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The experts from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) made their discovery while carrying out excavations in the Gawilgarh Hills in the border township of the Tapti-Purna valley, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported. ASI officials said about 71 new rock shelters harbouring paintings and engravings have been found at the site, which may pose potential competition to the Bhimbetka rock shelters World Heritage site near Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. Nandini Bhattacharya Sahu, superintendent archaeologist at the Nagpur Prehistory Branch and ASI team leader, said decorations were found on walls, ceilings and floors of the rock shelters in Satpura mountain. A team from ASI camping at the Chincholi Gawli village some 25 km from Morshi in Amravati district in Maharashtra also discovered more than 200 un-decorated rock shelters. The team has discovered 89 rock shelters since last December.