Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:36am on 18 Aug 2024,Sunday Art & Culture
The Maharashtra government has declared geoglyphs and petroglyphs in Ratnagiri, dating back to the Mesolithic era (approximately 20,000 to 10,000 years ago), as protected monuments under the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act. These ancient artworks, which depict various animals and footprints, are significant as they represent early human creativity. Ratnagiri alone hosts over 1,500 artworks across 70 sites, with some listed on UNESCO’s tentative World Heritage list. The protection covers an area of 210 square meters. Concerns about an oil refinery potentially damaging these sites have been raised by conservationists.
