A study published in Archaeometry introduces a refined Uranium-Series (U-Th) dating methodology specifically for analyzing the thin carbonate crusts overlaying petroglyphs in the Western Ghats. The new data confirms that several geometric carvings of celestial patterns in the Sahyadri range date back at least 35,000 years, making them some of the oldest known examples of symbolic art in South Asia.
The researchers used a micro-drilling technique to extract samples without damaging the art, revealing that the artists possessed a deep understanding of mineral pigments that have survived the heavy monsoon cycles for millennia. This dating breakthrough suggests that the Upper Paleolithic populations of Central India had established complex ritual sites and astronomical tracking systems far earlier than the Neolithic transition.