Prehistoric rock art and ancient stone tools discovered in Bhondsi forest
Prehistoric petroglyphs, stone game boards, and ancient tools have been discovered in the Bhondsi stretch of the Aravalli forests in Gurgaon, researchers reported on June 8, 2026. The archaeological find, which includes a large foot-shaped engraving and an Acheulean bifacial hand axe, demonstrates a rare continuity of human activity in the region linking early tool-making traditions with later ritual and social life.
The discovery began four months earlier, in February, when wildlife photographers Yatin Verma and Ramkumar noticed the engravings on a rocky cliff near the Bhuvneshwari Mata Mandir temple complex. While on a birdwatching trip, the team heard a leopard call from a cliff and hiked to the top after the calls ceased. Verma noticed several engravings on the stone surface that resembled petroglyphs.
Shailesh Baisla, a PhD scholar and researcher at the School of Heritage Research and Management at Dr B R Ambedkar University Delhi, later visited the site to document the findings. He was assisted by Tejveer Mavi, a local expert from Kot village whose field knowledge of the Aravalli landscape has helped researchers identify several prehistoric markers across the ridge.
The Bhondsi cluster is considered unusual due to the high concentration and variety of markings on the exposed quartzite rock surfaces. Akash Gupta, a faculty member at Delhi University’s Satyawati College who examined the material, stated that the discovery is significant because it shows a rare chronological continuity of human activity. According to Gupta, the handaxes and cleavers point to early Lower Palaeolithic stone-tool traditions, while other tools indicate Middle Palaeolithic activity from 300,000 to 50,000 years ago. The cup-shaped depressions and rock art are believed to belong to later symbolic or ritual phases, likely from the Mesolithic period.
Teams from the Chandigarh Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Haryana Archaeology Department have since documented the site and submitted a brief report.
Kamei Athoilu Kabui, Superintending Archaeologist with the ASI’s Chandigarh Circle, confirmed that their local exploration team worked with local villagers to find the in situ petroglyphs and stone tools. Kabui stated that the site needs to be protected from the land mafia, calling for further steps to be taken by the state government department.
Anil Tiwari, Deputy Superintending Archaeologist at ASI Chandigarh, noted that while a brief report has been prepared, there is still a large scope for further work and research at the site.
