Geospatial context of the Ukshi geoglyph in the Konkan zone of Maharashtra, western India

Abstract

The Konkan region, in western India, has a rich history of human habitation, evidenced by archaeological and historical records such as stone tools, rock-cut caves, ports and forts, the latter representing colonies of foreign powers. While evidence of human presence during the prehistoric period is limited in the region, the recent discovery of geoglyphs has generated research interest among the scholarly community and the public. The present study uses geospatial analysis and field observations to infer that the Ukshi geoglyph perfectly depicts the magnetic North polarity, suggesting that its makers knew of cardinal directions and possibly even magnetic polarity.