Civilization in Goa dates back to thousands of centuries. Thanks to the rock art (petroglyphs) found in recent times at the banks of the Kushawati river in South Goa, one can conclusively say, that the story of Goa’s civilization and the presence of humans in this area, dates back to the range of 20,000 to 30,000 years before today.
Off the tourist trail, the rock carvings may be basic, but the heritage and stories they tell about those time are precious and beyond value.
To view them, get ready for a long, picturesque ride to the village of Usgalimal, where on a bank of laterite stones is a collage of sorts of 100 drawings etched in the rock over a 500 sqmts area. Ever since the drawings were discovered in the early 1990s, the Archaeological Survey of India has adopted the site and is now a protected area. The engravings depict a long-horned bull, the Great Indian bison, which is a common sight in the wilderness of Goa’s Sanguem taluka.
Experts suggest that the village of Usgalimal and the area around it, was a hub of human activity, given the tell-tale signs left by the primordial man. Definitely, worth a long drive to the heritage site.
Rock Art
Usgalimal village in the Sanguem, South Goa
How to get there: Getting to this village in the interiors of south Goa may be a long journey by the public bus transport. It’s best to hire a cab for the long journey.
