A team of archaeologists recently discovered petroglyphs engraved on a granite rock near the recently restored umbrella stone site at Peralam-Kozhummal in Kannur district, Kerala. <\/span><\/p>\n
About Petroglyphs<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Petroglyphs (also known as <\/span>rock engravings<\/b>) are symbolic <\/span>images sculpted or engraved <\/b>on the <\/span>surface of rocks by removing material from its surface layer<\/b> with instruments of superior hardness.<\/span><\/li>\n
The word \u2018\u2019petroglyph\u2019\u2019 is derived from two Greek words, <\/span>\u2018\u2019petros\u2019\u2019 meaning \u201cstone<\/b>,\u201d and <\/span>\u2018\u2019glyphein\u2019\u2019 meaning \u201cto carve.<\/b>\u201c<\/span><\/li>\n
The <\/span>techniques <\/b>used to create these images include <\/span>pecking, incising, abrading<\/b>, <\/span>sculpting, polishing, drilling, and scratching.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
These processes<\/span> remove part of the rock <\/b>and therefore are <\/span>different from images simply painted or drawn<\/b> on rock, which are called <\/span>petrographs<\/b>.<\/span><\/li>\n
Because petroglyphs are carved into rock, they <\/span>tend to last longer than petrographs.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
Petroglyphs took <\/span>two primary forms<\/b>, as <\/span>images either appear as scratches or deeper visible indentations on rock<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Petroglyphs are typically associated with prehistoric populations. These carvings often <\/span>depict animals, people, geometric shapes<\/b>, and <\/span>symbolic images <\/b>that offer insights into the social and religious lives of ancient peoples.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
They can be <\/span>found<\/b> on<\/span> every continent<\/b> throughout the world, <\/span>except Antarctica.<\/b>\n
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However, they are especially <\/span>concentrated in Africa, South America, North America<\/b> (mainly in the southwestern United States), <\/span>Siberia, Australia,<\/b> and <\/span>Europe <\/b>(Scandinavia, Spanish Galicia, Ireland, and Italy).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Example of Petroglyph Site in India: Edakkal Caves in Wayanad, Kerala.<\/b>\n
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Significance<\/b>:<\/span><\/li>\n
They are among the <\/span>earliest forms of art<\/b> to have existed and are therefore considered the foundation of art.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Ancient peoples also used petroglyphs as a <\/span>form of communication or writing.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
For example, some petroglyphs clearly indicated the borders between tribal lands, and others were astronomical markers and maps.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
Additionally, <\/span>some petroglyphs served as musical instruments<\/b> and were known as \u201c<\/span>rock gongs.\u201d.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n