Ancient civilisation unearthed at Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha

Nuapada: Researchers unearthed remains of an ancient civilisation at Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha.

The ancient civilisation was found during a survey conducted by Khariar Autonomous College’s Department of Archaeology and Museology, Nuapada, inside Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha.

The survey was conducted by a team of researchers comprising of lecturers Dr Ranbir Singh and Himanshu Sekhar Mahakud, Folk Culture researcher and journalist Mayadhar Saraf and 15 students of the college.

The team of researchers surveyed the fact by visiting various waterbodies and the Jonk River basin. First, they examined an abandoned Manikgarh located around 4,000 ft above the sea on the river basin.

According to researchers, the structure was a rectangular hill fort with over 300 metre-high rock compound wall. It is believed to be the witness to History.

The team found remains of fort boundary scattered at various places. They also discovered ancient paintings coloured with pigment engraved inside a cave situated around 150 metre down the Manikgarh fort.

This discovery will help in adding a new chapter to the pre-historic study of the district, said Dr Ranbir Singh.

The team of researchers had also visited Jumlagarh fort, which is situated at right side of the Jonk River with a distance of only 5 km from Manikgarh fort. Its fortification was completely different from Manikgarh fort.

According to the researchers, the fort was built in bricks and rocks. It was rectangular in size. It has two entrance points on east and west directions. The fort boundary has guard rooms each in all four corners as well as two each in north and south.

As the ancient forts are situated in dense forest and far away from urban areas, the excavation work was interrupted. More fact about the ancient civilisation will come to fore if the Archeological Survey of India comes forward for the excavation, Dr Singh said.