Rock carvings discovered in Delhi’s Central Ridge

What began as a routine visit to document the biodiversity of Delhi’s Central Ridge led two environmentalists to an unexpected discovery, a set of rock carvings etched into a quartzite outcrop near the Polo Ground that experts say require detailed scientific study before their age or significance can be determined.

The carvings were noticed by environmentalists Pradip Krishen and Chetan Agarwal during one of their regular visits to the Ridge, where they usually document the area’s rich biodiversity and plant life.

Krishen said the two had visited the spot several times before, but it was during a recent visit that Agarwal noticed unusual markings on a large quartzite rock protruding from the ground near the Polo Ground.

“The discovery itself was accidental. We were there to study the Ridge’s biodiversity, not to look for archaeological remains. Chetan noticed the carvings, which intrigued us. We later brought along a historian friend, who suggested that they could possibly be petroglyphs,” he said.

Petroglyphs are ancient symbolic images or figures carved or scratched on rock surfaces. Krishen said he was not an expert on petroglyphs and therefore could not speculate on the age of the carvings.

“At some sites, we have a way of establishing a minimum age for petroglyphs. For example, where Ashokan rock edicts have been carved over older rock carvings, we know the petroglyphs cannot be younger than the edicts, which date to the third century BC,” he said.

He added that it is difficult to say exactly how old the petroglyphs are. “They could be a thousand years older, 500 years older, 200 years older, or even just a year older. But at least we know they are not younger than the edict,” he said.

He further added that in this case, however, they don’t have any such comparative evidence. All that is visible is that the carvings are extremely eroded.

“They are on quartzite, which is an extremely hard rock, so it takes a very long time for marks on it to weather and fade. To my untrained eyes, the carvings certainly look extremely old, but I am not an expert on petroglyphs, so I cannot express an opinion on their age,” Krishen said.

He added that the carvings are on a large quartzite rock protruding from the ground in the Central Ridge, near the Polo Ground.

Krishen said the markings appeared to comprise two distinct patterns. One resembled a row of seven or eight cup-like depressions, or cupules, arranged parallel to one another.

The other resembled two ladder-like figures set at right angles. He said one possibility was that it may have been used as a game board, although it could equally have been a decorative motif. He stressed that these were only personal observations and not archaeological conclusions.

Experts said that even though it is possible for the carvings to be ancient, they urged caution against assigning any age or historical significance to the markings without scientific investigation.

“The Aravalis are among the oldest mountain ranges in the world, so finding rock carvings here is not unusual. Similar carvings have been reported earlier by the Haryana Government and researchers, including Dr AK Sharma,” said archaeologist Dr Sanjeev Kumar Singh.

Singh added that, however, such discoveries cannot be assigned an age or historical significance immediately. They require detailed archaeological investigation, scientific study and discussions among experts before any conclusions can be drawn.

He added that at this stage, these carvings are a matter of academic discussion. While they could be significant, it would be premature to speculate on their age or origin without proper evidence. For now, the carvings remain an intriguing find whose age, purpose and historical context can only be established through detailed archaeological documentation and scientific analysis.