CHAPTER PRE - HISTORIC ROCK PAINTINGS

( UPPER PALEOLITHIC - 40,000 YEARS AGO TO MEDIEVAL ERA )

INTRODUCTION- The word ' prehistoric ' refers to that part of history when paper
and written word had not yet been discovered . The desire to communicate and
express led humans to paint and scribble on the walls of their living spaces acting
as their canvas that we now know as prehistoric rock paintings . It is truly
wonderful that these paintings have survived the test of time and historians are
able to crack some information which brings to light the lifestyle , tools and
pottery etc of those times .

About 25000 years ago , world was fully covered with thick jungles . Our
ancestors lived in caves , in valleys , near streams , or by rivers and pools . They
ate various grasses , fruits and vegetables or killed beasts for food . With this kind
of life , when did man start creating the works of art ? What forced him to do so ?
What did these earliest works of art look like ? History of Art seeks answers to
these questions .

Prehistoric man wanted to fulfill his daily needs like food , clothing and safety
from big - beasts , heat , rain and other natural disasters . He was very weak to
fight with natural disasters and found it difficult to kill the big beasts . So he
thought of doing some magic by which he would get enough strength to kill the
big - beasts and to please nature . For this purpose he made a few drawings on
the walls of the caves with wood , stone and mud , said some prayers and went to
the Jungle to hunt . This kind of magic ritual puts light on man's psyche to please
the supreme controlling power and the beginning of art for holy purpose as well .

Humans produced their first works of art during the Upper Paleolithic period -
Aurignacian period ( 45000 B.C. - 35000 B.C. ) . The earliest images made were a
series of random lines or grooves made by dragging the finger . Later on
engraving with some tools along the soft layer of clay on the walls was added on .
The subject matter included simplified human figures , their day to day activities ,
geometric forms and symbols .
The first ever discovery of rock cave paintings was made in India in 1867-68 by an
archeologist , Archibald Carlleyle . This discovery was twelve years before the
discovery of Altamira in Spain . Later , a large number of sites were unearthed by
Indian and foreign archeologists in a joint effort . These sites were found in
several districts like Hoshangabad , Panchmarhi in Madhya Pradesh , Mirzapur in
Uttar Pradesh , Bihar under the Kaimur range , Raigarh in Chhatisgarh , Andhra
Pradesh , Raichur in Karnataka , Kumaon hills in Uttarakhand.

BHIMBETKA * The caves of Bhimbetka were discovered in 1957-58 by a brave

archaeologist Dr. Vishnu Wakankar . Bhimbetka is a natural art gallery and an
archaeological treasure . Spread in miles these caves trace the footsteps of the
prehistoric man from as early as about 15,000 years ago . These magnificent
paintings can be seen even on the ceilings of rock shelters located at great heights
. These caves remained covered with dense forest and vegetation that protected
these rocks painting from the natural calamities .

Location : The Bhimbetka caves are close to Bhopal on the way to Hoshangabad
in Madhya Pradesh spread in an area of ten square kilometers . It has about eight
hundred rock shelters out of which five hundred have paintings .

Material used : The paints were made by grinding various rocks and minerals like
manganese , hematite and wooden coal . They got red from haematite ( known as
geru in India ) . The green came from a green variety of a stone called chalcedony
. White might have been made out of limestone and black from wooden charcoal
. The rock of mineral was first ground into powder and then mixed with water and
some thick or sticky substance such as animal fat and extracts of leaves or gum or
resin from trees . Brushes were made of plant fibre . Amazingly , these colours
have survived thousands of years of adverse weather conditions .

Subject Matter : Bhimbetka caves are painted mainly in red and white , with an
occasional use of green , red , ochre , brown , black and yellow . Themes are
taken from the everyday events , the scenes usually depict hunting , dancing ,
horse and elephant riders , animal fights , honey collection , decoration of bodies ,
masks and different type of animals etc.
Many animals such as bison , tiger , rhinoceros , wild boar , elephants , monkeys ,
antelopes , lizards , peacocks etc. have been depicted in the rock shelters .
Popular religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently .

Bhimbetka paintings portray live records of the development of style from linear
representation to more evolved shapes and forms . Our prehistoric paintings are
similar to those found in Matopos in Zimbabwe , Altamira in Spain , and Las - caux
in France . The simplicity , directness and vitality of primitive paintings have
inspired some of the greatest modern artists of the world .

NAME: WIZARD'S DANCE

MEDIUM : MINERAL COLOUR ,STONE

PERIOD : 2500 B.C. TO 1500 B.C. ( STONE - AGE )

LOCATION : BHIM BETHAKA CAVE 50 km . SOUTH OF BHOPAL ( M.P. )

COURTESY : NATIONAL MUSEUM , NEW DELHI . CENTRE OF CULTURAL

RESOURCES & TRAINING CENTRE , NEW DELHI .
SUBJECT MATTER / THEME : A ceremonial dance of the wizard¹ . like cave men to
depict some joyful celebration or some ritualistic² dance to please a god .

DESCRIPTION : The Painting is on a cave wall in Bhimbetka of M.P. This is perhaps

the earliest example of the development of music , dance , theatre and use of
masks .

On one side there is a figure standing in a joyful mood with arms outstretched .
There are two more figures in the middle , one seated and one standing . They are
wearing masks on the face and horns on the heads . Thick black lines are drawn
without any filling of color in them . The figures are simple , elongated , stick - like
and curved at places showing movement and high spirits .

They are indulging in some dance ritual of prayer or a magical healing or pleasing
a powerful jungle god .

Overall we can say that this wall painting reminds of tribal dances nowadays with
body paints . From times immemorial Man has been involved in pleasing gods and
nature by ritualistic dance and music .

NAME : A ROARING ANIMAL

MEDIUM : MINERAL COLOUR ,STONE

PERIOD : 2500 B.C. TO 1500 B.C.

LOCATION : BHIMBETKA CAVE 50 km . SOUTH OF BHOPAL ( M.P. )

COURTESY : CENTRE OF CULTURAL RESOURCES & TRAINING CENTRE , NEW DELHI

SUBJECT MATTER / THEME : Hunting scene depicting supremacy of humans on
other animals in the prehistoric era .

DESCRIPTION : This Painting is taken from the wall of a cave in Bhimbetka of M.P.
In this painting some animals are drawn surrounding a man holding a long
weapon like object . One animal is roaring towards a man standing in the centre
of the composition . On one side a peacock like bird can also be seen along with
other animals like Bull , Dear and Cow etc. There is simple stylisation in forms
which are reduced to simple rectangles and lines . The basic features like a hump
or horns are added to these forms which are easily recognised . Bold black lines
are drawn without any filling of color in them . These simple lines and forms
effectively show the skill and flow of the artist . There is a rare example of X - ray
Imagery because in one cow there is an unborn baby in a miniature form . This
shows their development as intelligent beings who could communicate and
express through art with the help of simple line drawings . The repetition of
animal forms has created a rhythm and movement in the composition .
The image above is also on the similar subject / Title .

Here a wild bison / boar is shown raging and attacking a man . He has
overpowered him as he ( man ) has now surrendered and is lying on the ground .
This could be the hunting scene where the beast has acted in defense because
there are other human figures also surrounding it . This composition is colored in
red to symbolise the bloodshed caused by the attack . The flat forms of the animal
and figures lack detail . The large beast and small humans depict the clear
difference in power between the two species .

Fire is believed to be discovered in the lower Palaeolithic era , much before traces
of art in cave paintings have been found . Wheel was invented circa 3,500 B.C.
The discovery of fire and wheel thereafter were instrumental in the making and
baking of pottery . These two inventions brought the beginning of terracotta
sculptures .
MULTIPAL CHOICE QUESTION

Human produced their first work of art during which period

A. Mesolithic period B. Upper paleolithic period C. medieval period D. bronze period
B. Upper paleolithic period

Who discovered Bhimbetka cave?

A. A.K.Swami B. N.S.bendre C. Mughals D. Dr. Sridhar Vishnu Wakankar

D. Dr. Sridhar Vishnu Wakankar

How many rocks shelter is present in Bhimbetka cave?

A.800 B.600 C.582 D. None A.800
Which artwork belongs from Bhimbetka?
A. A Roaring animal B. Earthen jar C. Male torso D. Bull seal A. A Roaring animal

Bhimbethka cave discovered in?

A.1857 B.1933 C.1877 D.1957 D.1957
Which period of a painting is known as rock painting?
A.Paleolithic period B. Mesolithic period C. Clearly historic period C. Chalcolithic
C. Chalcolithic
Which of the following is not the archaeological site related to prehistoric period?
1.Lakhudiyar 2.Kupagullu 3.Harappa 4.Bhimbetka 2.Kupagullu
The cave of Bhimbetka were discovered by an ancient archaeologist named?
1.Dr. V.S. Wakankar 2.Cockburn 3.Andresson 4.Mitra and Ghosh 1.Dr. V.S. Wakankar