ASI Discovers 25 Ancient Inscriptions in Nallamala Tiger Reserve: Check Epigraphy, Brahmi Script, and Rock Art
The Archaeological Survey of India discovered 25 ancient inscriptions and prehistoric rock paintings in Nallamala Tiger Reserve, providing critical insights into 1,400 years of South India's cultural and political history.
In the Andhra Pradesh Tiger Reserve, near Nallamala/Nagarjunakonda, the ASI has found 25 recorded inscriptions and some prehistoric paintings. These finds go back about 1400 years to the time of the early history to medieval times.
The inscriptions will give the researchers important information about the development of culture, language and history of the area, and also there are many rock paintings which appear to be from the Megalithic period. As a result, Nallamala has become more significant as an archaeological landscape in Southern India.
Key Discovery by ASI
The ASI carried out a three-day epigraphical survey from the 11th to the 13th of June 2023 within the Nallamala-Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve. This survey was led by Director K. Muniratnam Reddy.
As a result of this survey, the ASI recorded 25 ancient inscriptions throughout various locations within the forested site. These inscriptions were dated from the 2nd to the 16th centuries AD, covering an estimated period of approximately 1,400 years.
The inscriptions ranged in record type from early historic to medieval, thus confirming relatively continuous human occupation of the sites over the years. The discovery of this monumental evidence will greatly enhance our knowledge of the evolution of culture, politics, and language in South India.
Inscriptions and Script Details
Inscriptions from the Nallamalla Tiger Reserve are dated from the early historic period 2nd century CE through to the medieval period 16th century CE.
The oldest inscriptions date back to the time of the Satavahanas, are written in the Prakrit language, and can be identified as having been produced during the early part of this period, the earliest examples probably being dated to around the end of the first century CE.
The inscriptions created from this period are written in Brahmi, one of the earliest forms of writing known to have existed in the subcontinent.
The earliest Brahmi inscriptions indicate early administrative, religious, and cultural practices in the Nallamala region.The subsequent inscriptions found in the Nallamalla Reserve are written in Telugu and indicate the growth of spoken languages in the region as the area developed.
The Kannada inscriptions found in the Reserve show the importance of South India as a cultural and political centre. The changes in scripts and languages used in the inscriptions illustrate the overall societal changes and development of the Deccan throughout history.
Rock Art Findings
Numerous prehistoric rock art depictions were located by the ASI during the survey of the Nallamala Tiger Reserve, these depictions include both inscriptions and rock painting motifs that were found in the caves along the Krishna River in the area surrounding the village of Alatam. The paintings and designs of these geometric motifs can be dated back to at least 1500 B.C.E. and they are associated with both the Megalithic Period and the Early Historic Period.
The designs and paintings of these figures are characterized by simple anthropomorphic forms, symbolic motifs and abstract compositions and they reflect an ancient form of artistic expression and a cultural tradition that existed among the prehistoric inhabitants of the Nallamala Forest areas.
The evidence that was generated by the survey demonstrates that there were people living in or traveling through the Nallamala Forest region during prehistoric times, and this fact further adds to the historical and cultural importance of the Nallamala Forest area.
Ayukta Zisha is an education journalist with over three years of experience in digital media. A graduate of St. Xavier’s College, she holds a Master’s degree in English along with a certification in Digital Marketing from IIT Delhi. Backed by a strong academic foundation in the humanities, she specializes in creating educational and general knowledge content across history, geography, literature, and current affairs. During her tenure at Jagran Josh, she worked extensively on U.S. news and global developments, curating informative and engaging content for a diverse readership. Her subject expertise and ability to simplify complex topics enable her to make complex information accessible to a wide audience. Beyond journalism, Ayukta is an avid reader and a published author.
