Edakkal Caves

Located 12 km from Sultan Bathery, Edakkal caves is situated in the Ambukuthi Hills. Edakkal caves are two natural rock formationsm believed to have been formed by a large split in a huge rock. Inside, one finds ancient stone scripts, cave drawings and pictorial wall inscriptions of human and animal figures with peculiar head dresses, the swastik forms and symbols. Archaeologists consider these as one of the earliest centres of human habitation. Similar straight line cave drawings (considered 7000 years old) have been found only in Stiriya in the European Alps and a few rocky places in Africa. The drawings at Edakkal depict the human figures, stars, wheels, bows, knives, palm trees etc.