The Lost Cattle Herders of the Sanganakallu–Kupgal Site Complex

Saurabh Mishra1*, Ravi Korisettar2, Amzad lashkar1, and Sharada Channarayapatna3

The Sanganakallu-Kupgal site complex, nestled in the Bellary region of Karnataka, India, stands as a rich archaeological tapestry spanning the Mesolithic period through the Iron Age. It has long been recognised for its ash mounds, rock art, and evidence of cattle-based agro-pastoral lifeways. Yet the lived realities of the communities that shaped this landscape remain insufficiently understood. This paper reconstructs the identities of these 'lost cattle herders' through a comprehensive multi-proxy analysis of faunal assemblages from the Sanganakallu–Kupgal site complex. Moving beyond subsistence-oriented interpretations, the study foregrounds zooarchaeological data to examine structured herd management, slaughter strategies, and the socio-ritual dimensions of animal exploitation. Taxonomic identification, age-at-death profiles, skeletal part representation, and detailed Taphonomic assessment are integrated with various scientific analyses, such as stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) of bone and dental tissues. Preliminary findings suggest organised herd management rather than opportunistic consumption. Distinct patterns between habitation contexts and ash mound deposits point to differentiated activity zones embedded within a broader ritual–economic landscape. Newly generated AMS radiocarbon dates from selected faunal samples help refine the chronological framework for these sites and provide a better understanding of the Neolithic Origin in the region. By integrating chronometric, zooarchaeological, and biomolecular evidence, this study reframes the South Indian Neolithic as a dynamic system of negotiated human–animal relationships, restoring agency to the pastoral communities who shaped this landscape.