Two deer, and two hunters with bow, arrow and daggers in their waists are among the masterpieces of the ancient rock paintings recently identified in a cave near Viraliyur, around 32 km north-west of Coimbatore.
The rare paintings found at ‘Mel Saamy Kugai’ (cave of upper god), a pre-historic rock shelter located around 3,600 ft. from the sea level near Viraliyur, is believed to belong to neolithic period and iron age.
According to rock art researcher and art historian K.T. Gandhirajan, who along with rock art enthusiasts Kumaravel Ramasamy and Sudhahar Nalliappan identified the paintings, the cave houses more than 10 images in red ochre and one composition in white. Apart from animals, human figures, square and triangle patterns with decorative motifs, the cave also has paintings of unidentified signs and symbols which are portrayed in outline.
Mel Saamy Kugai is situated around eight km away from a temple located at the foothill of Viraliyur which is dedicated to hunting god by early hunters of the region. The cave, 150 ft. long and 100 ft. high, can also can be reached from Moolagangal in Kerala.
“The early hunters used to have a deity (hunting god) outside the forest where they pray before entering the jungle for hunting. Similarly, they used to have a deity inside the forest. Hunters must have used Mel Saamy Kugai as a temporary shelter during the time of honey collection, hunting and other activities in the forest,” said Mr. Gandhirajan.
Close to the cave, there are two springs which could have been source of water for animals and human beings.
“In Kongu region, these kind of rock paintings is found in Kumuthipathi, Vellarukkam Palayam, and Kovanur. Most of these paintings were done using white pigments. But majority of the paintings at Viraliyur are done in red ochre and one composition in white pigment. While geometrical patterns are not often found in rock arts in Tamil Nadu, Viraliyur paintings have square and triangle patterns filled with decorative motifs which is an unusual depiction in the context of rock art in Tamil Nadu. The artists had the knowledge of geometry,” said Mr. Gandhirajan.
The red ochre paintings at the cave seem to be of the neolithic period (3,000 – 4,000 BCE) on the basis of this subject and its executions. The white painting of two hunters with a dagger could be of the iron age (2,000 – 2,500 BCE).
