Prehistoric Art
Introduction
Prehistoric art is the earliest form of human creative expression, made before writing existed. In India it survives mainly as rock art: paintings and engravings on the walls and ceilings of caves and rock shelters. These images are an important archaeological source because they show how early humans thought, lived and believed.
Types of Rock Art
Type | Meaning |
Pictographs (Paintings) | Images painted on rock surfaces using natural pigments |
Petroglyphs (Engravings) | Images carved, scratched or pecked on rock |
Cupules | Small cup-shaped hollows made on rock surfaces; among the oldest rock art (e.g. Daraki-Chattan, MP) |
How Was Rock Art Made?
• Colours: Mostly red (red ochre / haematite, locally called geru), white (limestone or kaolin), black (charcoal, manganese), also green and yellow
• Binder: Pigments were mixed with materials like animal fat, plant gum or resin
• Tools: Brushes of plant fibre or twigs, and fingers
• Place: Walls and ceilings of rock shelters, which protected paintings from rain and sunlight, so many survived for thousands of years
[Infographic 1: How rock art was made: Pigments (ochre, limestone, charcoal) + Binder (fat, gum) → Brush/Finger → Rock wall]
Bhimbetka: The Richest Rock Art Site
• Located in Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh, in the foothills of the Vindhya range, near Bhopal
• Discovered by V. S. Wakankar in 1957-58
• More than 700 rock shelters, many with paintings
• Art ranges from the Upper Paleolithic to the Mesolithic and into the historic and medieval periods
• Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003
• Name is linked to Bhima (Mahabharata) and baithaka (sitting place), a popular tradition
Phases of Paintings at Bhimbetka
Phase | Colours | Themes and Style |
Upper Paleolithic | Green and dark red | Large, naturalistic animals (bison, tiger, rhino, elephant); linear figures |
Mesolithic | Mainly red, also white and yellow | Largest number of paintings; smaller figures; hunting, dancing, group scenes, animals, birds, children, burial and honey collection |
Chalcolithic | Red, white | Contact with farming communities; pots, tools and geometric designs; exchange scenes |
Early Historic | Red, white, yellow | Riders, religious symbols, decorative patterns |
Medieval | Faded, linear | Geometric and highly stylised figures |
[Infographic 2: Timeline of Bhimbetka paintings, Upper Paleolithic to Medieval]
Themes in Prehistoric Rock Art
• Animals: bison, deer, elephant, tiger, rhinoceros, wild boar, leopard, fish, birds
• Hunting scenes: groups of men with bows, arrows, spears and sticks; wounded animals
• Community life: dancing in groups, drinking, music, children playing, mother and child
• Food gathering: honey collection, fishing
• Ritual and belief: masked figures, burials, symbols that may relate to totems and magic for a successful hunt
• Later periods: riders on horses and elephants, weapons, and geometric patterns
Superimposition: Newer paintings were often painted over older ones. This layering helps archaeologists work out the relative order (chronology) of the paintings.
Other Important Rock Art Sites
Site | Location | Note |
Bhimbetka | Madhya Pradesh | Richest site; UNESCO World Heritage Site (2003) |
Panchmarhi, Adamgarh | Madhya Pradesh | Mesolithic paintings and early animal domestication (Adamgarh) |
Daraki-Chattan | Madhya Pradesh (Chambal valley) | Cupules, among the oldest rock art in India |
Lakhudiyar | Uttarakhand (Almora) | White, black and red ochre figures; human and animal forms, geometric patterns |
Kupgallu, Piklihal | Karnataka | Neolithic rock art and paintings |
Edakkal Caves | Kerala (Wayanad) | Petroglyphs (engravings), Neolithic to historic |
Jogimara, Sita Bengra | Chhattisgarh (Surguja) | Early paintings in cave shelters |
Vikramkhol | Odisha | Rock shelter with early paintings |
[Infographic 3: Map of major rock art sites in India]
Significance of Prehistoric Art
• Gives a rare view into the mind and beliefs of early humans, which tools alone cannot show
• Shows social life: group hunting, dance and community gatherings
• Shows environment and animals of that time, helping study palaeo-environment
• Shows change over time: from large naturalistic animals to small stylised human scenes
• Some traditions of painting still continue among tribal communities of the region
Quick Revision (Exam Points)
• Bhimbetka = Raisen district, MP | UNESCO World Heritage Site 2003 | discovered by V. S. Wakankar
• Upper Paleolithic: green and dark red | Mesolithic: most paintings, group scenes
• Pictographs = paintings | Petroglyphs = engravings
• Daraki-Chattan = cupules | Edakkal = petroglyphs | Lakhudiyar = Uttarakhand
• Superimposition helps in relative dating of paintings
Prelims PYQ Hint: Questions often ask which period the Bhimbetka paintings belong to, the colours used, and the location of rock art sites.