Explorations in a remote canyon of the Aravali Range in Rajasthan have uncovered a spectacular gallery of Upper Paleolithic petroglyphs dating to 15,000 years ago. The rock art includes complex geometric patterns designed for solar calibration, marking the positions of the sun during the solstices and equinoxes. Most significantly, several carvings feature the earliest known depictions of the Svastika and other solar symbols, integrated into a primitive celestial map.
The site, identified by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, suggests that the indigenous hunter-gatherers of the Aravalis possessed an advanced understanding of observational astronomy. The orientation of the rock shelters allows the sun’s rays to illuminate specific symbols at precise seasonal moments. Archaeologists believe this site represents a 'proto-ritualistic' center that laid the foundation for later Vedic astronomical traditions in the Indian subcontinent.