Stone Age settlement evidence unearthed in Vijayanagara’s Meenakere village
Vijayanagara The Vijayanagara Exploration Research Team has unearthed significant evidence of a Stone Age settlement at Meenakere village in Kudligi taluk, located on the banks of the Hagari river. The findings include microlithic stone tools from the Mesolithic period, polished axes from the Neolithic era, pottery fragments, and rare petroglyphs of animals dating back thousands of years.
In the southwestern part of Meenakere, researchers discovered petroglyphs engraved on a large, flattened birthstone. These include a bull carving nearly 3 feet tall and wide, with horns bent forward and legs in dynamic posture, suggesting it may have been depicted in combat or motion. Nearby, another engraving of a cow was found on a rounded stone. Experts estimate these carvings to date back to around 3000 BCE.
The discovery was made with the assistance of local researcher Akash from Meenakere and Kalandar from Nagasamudra. Scholars believe these depictions indicate that ancient communities of the region not only domesticated such animals but also revered them in their cultural practices.
The site also yielded polished stone axes, microlithic tools, pottery shards, and flat stone implements, strengthening the evidence that Meenakere served as a settlement for early humans during different phases of the Stone Age.
Notably, the nearby Kumati village had earlier revealed large anthropomorphic monoliths from the megalithic period. “The presence of such carvings and tools highlights the continuity of human culture and settlement along the Hagari river,” said Prof. H. Tippeswamy of Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadevaraya University.
Experts have urged immediate preservation of these findings. Dr. Govind from Kannada University emphasized that the bull petroglyph at Meenakere is one of the most striking examples of early symbolic art in the region. Meanwhile, Dr. Krishnegowda of the Fine Arts Department noted that megalithic anthropomorphic stones at nearby Kumati and Hire Benakal are rapidly deteriorating due to neglect.
“Earlier there were seven anthropomorphic stones at Hire Benakal, but today only two remain in good condition. Protecting these rare cultural remains should be the responsibility of the Archaeology Department or local administration. Legislators too must take interest in preserving this ancient heritage for future generations,” Dr. Krishnegowda stressed.
The discovery adds to Karnataka’s rich prehistoric legacy, reaffirming that the Vijayanagara region was a cradle of early human settlement and artistic expression.
