The name “Edakkal” literally means “a stone in between”, and this describes how the cave is formed by a heavy boulder straddling a fissure in the rock. Inside the cave is on two levels, the lower chamber measures about 18 feet long by 12 feet wide and 10 feet high and can be entered through an opening of 5 x 4 feet. A passage opposite the entrance leads upward to a small aperture in the roof through which one climbs up to the next story whose interior is about 96 feet long, 22 feet wide, and 18 feet high. Light enters the cave through a big gap
at the right-hand corner of the roof where the boulder does not touch the facing wall.The fascinating prehistoric rock etchings found on the walls of these caves have drawn the serious
attention of archaeologists and historians worldwide The fascinating prehistoric rock etchings found on the walls of these caves have drawn the serious attention of archeologists and historians worldwide.
Edakkal Caves are two natural caves at a remote location at Edakkal, 25 km from Kalpetta in the Wayanad district of Kerala in India's Western Ghats. They lie 1,200 metres above sea level on Ambukutty Mala, beside an ancient trade route connecting the high mountains of Mysore to the ports of the Malabar coast. Inside the caves are pictorial writings believed to date to at least 5000 BC, from the Neolithic man, indicating the presence of a prehistoric civilization or settlement in this region.The Stone Age carvings of Edakkal are rareand are
the only known examples from south India.
These are not technically caves, but rather a cleft or rift approximately 96 feet by 22 feet , a 30-foot-deep fissure caused by a piece of rock splitting away from the main body. On one side of the cleft is a rock weighing several tons that covers the cleft to form the 'roof' of the cave. The carvings are of human and animal figures, tools used by humans and of symbols yet to be deciphered, suggesting the presence of a prehistoric settlement.The petrology inside the cave are of at least three types. The oldest may date back to over 8,000 years.
The caves were discovered by Fred Fawcett, a police official of the erstwhile Malabar state in 1890 who immediately recognized their anthropological and historical importance. He wrote an article about them, attracting the attention of scholars.The caves contain drawings that range over periods from as early as 5000 BC to 1000 BC. The youngest group of paintings have been in the news for a possible connection to the Indus Valley
Civilization.
The path that leads to caves is awesome. The walk till stairs and climb up d stairs to caves is an awesome experience. Caves are decent and the view from caves is spectacular. A trip to Edakkal Caves is like a journey into our forgotten past. The caves are two natural rock formations believed to have been formed by a large split in a huge rock. The carvings inside are extremely beautiful. A trek up the majestic Ambukuthi Hills is required to reach these caves. The aroma of coffee stays with you the entire way. It is truly a surreal experience as we step into the palms of history.
