An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s4.14

v1.c9.s4.14

The faunal remains from the Kurnool caves include a variety of mammalian species, notable among them being: *Rhinoceros karnuliensis* (rhinoceros), *Boselaphus tragocamelus* (nilgai), *Gazella gazella* (chinkara), *Antelope cervicapra* (black buck), *Tetracerus quadricornis* (four-horned antelope), *Cervus unicolor* (sambar), *Axis axis* (chital) and *Tragulus* cf. *meminna* (mouse deer). All these animals, which move in flocks, throw light on the rich animal life during this period and point to a thick vegetation cover of scrub-to-tree jungle type with open expanses of grasses and a continuous source of water in the streams and streamlets. Chemical analyses of the cave sediments have further revealed that they were deposited under somewhat humid conditions. The faunal remains found in the gravel horizon associated with the incipient blade industry in the GHOD valley at INAMGAON belong to *Hexaprotodon palaeindicus* (hippopotamus), *Equus namadicus* (horse), *Bos* sp. (ox), *Bubalus* (buffalo) and *Cervus* sp. (*sambar*), again indicating a forested environment with local pools and swamps providing ideal conditions for the survival of animals like the hippopotamus.