Ancient rock art discovered on a rock shelter near Alatam along the banks of the Krishna River in the Nallamala Tiger Reserve Forest, Andhra Pradesh, by Epigraphy Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), on Saturday (June 13).
| Photo Credit: ARRANGEMENT
An extensive epigraphical survey being conducted by the Epigraphy Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the Nallamala Tiger Reserve Forest has brought to light a rich collection of inscriptions spanning nearly 1,400 years, offering fresh insights into the region’s political, cultural and linguistic history.
Speaking to The Hindu, during a field visit, on Saturday (June 13) Director (Epigraphy), ASI, Mysuru, K. Munirathnam Reddy said that in an ongoing survey the teams had in the last three days documented and copied 25 inscriptions dating from the 2nd century CE to the 16th century CE. The inscriptions belong to several prominent dynasties, including the Satavahanas, Eastern Chalukyas, Kalyani Chalukyas, Potapi Cholas, Kakatiyas, Reddy rulers and the Vijayanagara Empire.
The survey team explored remote locations in the Nallamala Tiger Reserve and the Yerragondapalem region. On the first day (June 11, 2026), eight inscriptions were copied from villages such as Gangaram Penta, Meetonta, Palitla, Ponnalabavi and Jillalapadugu. These inscriptions, written in Telugu, date from the 7th to the 16th centuries CE.
On the second day (June 12, 2026), the team documented 10 inscriptions belonging to the Kalyani Chalukya, Potapi Chola, Kakatiya and Vijayanagara periods, written in Kannada and Telugu scripts and dating between the 11th and 16th centuries CE.
The third day (June 13, 2026) yielded seven more inscriptions, including rare Satavahana records written in Prakrit language and Brahmi script. The newly documented inscriptions also include records of the Eastern Chalukya, Reddy and Vijayanagara dynasties.
Ancient rock art discovered on a rock shelter near Alatam along the banks of the Krishna River in the Nallamala Tiger Reserve Forest, Andhra Pradesh, by Epigraphy Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), on Saturday (June 13).
| Photo Credit:
ARRANGEMENT
Adding to the significance of the survey, ancient rock art was identified near Alatam on the banks of the Krishna River inside the Nallamala Tiger Reserve. Preliminary assessments suggest that the megalithic and early historic paintings date back to around 1500 BCE, indicating human activity in the region more than 3,500 years ago.
Mr. Reddy expressed gratitude to the Government of Andhra Pradesh, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, and the Forest authorities for extending support to the survey team operating in the challenging terrain of the reserve forest.
The discoveries are expected to contribute significantly to the understanding of Andhra Pradesh’s ancient history, inscriptions and cultural heritage.
Published – June 13, 2026 04:50 pm IST
