The officials of Archaeology Department have discovered Neolithic period red ochre hand print rock paintings in a rock shelter on Peerlagutta, an hillock, located on the outskirts of Dharmapur village in Mahabubnagar mandal.
Similar hand print rock paintings were found by the department on Pandavulagutta in Warangal district of Telangana State earlier.
Assistant Director, Archaeology, P. Nagaraju said that since they have also found tools used by Neolithic man at the same spot, they came to a conclusion the area was inhabited by humans from Neolithic period (3000-1500BC).
Dharmapur village is located just 7 km away from Mahabubnagar town. Mr. Nagaraju and his team also found a spring ball, parts of the red and black ware, hand-made pottery. Talking about the tools that were used by the Neolithic man, Mr. Nagaraju said spring ball was one of the main tool used by them to hunt the wild animals. They have also found some stone circles (1000 BC-2nd Century AD), one type of megalithic burial, at the same spot. Meanwhile, the locals informed the Archaeology officials they have also found paintings such as a tiger hunting deer and others inside the rock shelter, which Mr. Nagaraju, Junior Assistant, P. Balaraju were planning to visit shortly.
