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Role of Hydrothermal Fluids in the Deterioration of Pictographs and Petroglyphs in Rock Shelters of The Gawilgarh Hills, Madhya Pradesh, India


Affiliations
1 Department of Geology, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur 440 001, India
2 Department of Ancient History, Archaeology, and Culture, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur 440 033, India
3 Geological Survey of India, Central Region, Seminary Hills, Nagpur 440 006, India
4 Archaeological Survey of India, Mumbai Circle, Sion (E), Mumbai 400 022, India
 

India has one of the largest concentrations of rock-art sites. However, these rock shelters have deteriorated due to natural agencies. The present study was carried out in one such site in Central India, which is hosted by argillaceous and ferruginous sandstones, showing pro-minent chemical, biological and mechanical weather-ing. The results based on field investigations, petrography, XRD, FE-SEM-EDS and FTIR meas-urements have indicated that chemical weathering is caused due to infiltration of hydrothermal fluids through innumerable zones of weaknesses formed due to neotectonic activities in the Satpura Lineament Zone, especially along Gawilgarh and Salbardi Faults in this region.

Keywords

Archeological Site, Chemical Weathering, Hydrothermal Fluids, Rock Shelters.
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  • Role of Hydrothermal Fluids in the Deterioration of Pictographs and Petroglyphs in Rock Shelters of The Gawilgarh Hills, Madhya Pradesh, India

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Authors

Kirtikumar Randive
Department of Geology, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur 440 001, India
Prabash Sahu
Department of Ancient History, Archaeology, and Culture, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur 440 033, India
Sanjeevani Jawadand
Department of Geology, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur 440 001, India
Tushar Meshram
Geological Survey of India, Central Region, Seminary Hills, Nagpur 440 006, India
Sneha Dandekar
Department of Geology, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur 440 001, India
Tejashree Raut
Department of Geology, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur 440 001, India
Gunjan Saha
Department of Geology, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur 440 001, India
M. L. Dora
Geological Survey of India, Central Region, Seminary Hills, Nagpur 440 006, India
Nandini Bhattacharya-Sahu
Archaeological Survey of India, Mumbai Circle, Sion (E), Mumbai 400 022, India

Abstract


India has one of the largest concentrations of rock-art sites. However, these rock shelters have deteriorated due to natural agencies. The present study was carried out in one such site in Central India, which is hosted by argillaceous and ferruginous sandstones, showing pro-minent chemical, biological and mechanical weather-ing. The results based on field investigations, petrography, XRD, FE-SEM-EDS and FTIR meas-urements have indicated that chemical weathering is caused due to infiltration of hydrothermal fluids through innumerable zones of weaknesses formed due to neotectonic activities in the Satpura Lineament Zone, especially along Gawilgarh and Salbardi Faults in this region.

Keywords


Archeological Site, Chemical Weathering, Hydrothermal Fluids, Rock Shelters.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv121%2Fi2%2F255-263