PRE-HISTORIC ROCK PAINTING OF INDIA

Stone age has been divided into three major part :

1. Paleolithic – 400000 to 10000 B.C.
2. Mesolithic – 10000 to 3000 B.C.
3. Neolithic - 4500 to 300 B.C
On the basis of known fact Johan Cockburn and Archibald Carlleyle can be given
credit to discovered the cave paintings of Camoor hills in Vindhya ranges near
Mirzapur in 1880. First time in 1899 a Article in Royal Asiatic Society described
about Mirzapur , Chunar,Pabhosa and Chitrakoot cave painting. Some important
painting also been found from Vijaygarh fort.
After that C.W. Enderson discovered the important cave painting from Singhanpur.
Among the other centres of Pre-historic cave paintings are the Kabra Pahar in
Raigarh, Hosangabad and Panchmarhi area. Apart from these centres the most
important sites of Pre-historic art is Bhimbaithka.

Shri V.N. Mishra has published an article named Bhimbaithka ki gufaon ka

rahasya(The mystery of Bhimbaithka caves). In this article he has traced out lacs of
years old history through the medium of coloured paintings. This is near
Bhopal.These caves are more than six hundred and only 475 are painted. The whole
credit of the excavation goes to shri V.S.Wakankar ( H.O.D of archeological museum
and excavation, Vikram university).Most of these caves are Mesolithic age. The
impotance of these caves is,that here the man lived collectively and the tools and
weapons made by them for use are still intact.
Most of the paintings are of red and white colour, while some were green and yellow
colour also. These colours were prepared by the local pigments found in earth.
Colours were mixed with water, animal or plant glue.Most of the paintings destroyed
by rains,sun air in thosand of years. The paintings are painted on walls and roof of the
of these caves. These paintings can be divided into four ages:
1.Mesolithic age
2.Copper stone age
3.Early historic
4.Later historic age
Subject-mattet of Bhimbaithka caves painting :
The paintings are mostly of Mesolithic age in which elephant, Rhinoceros, Bear, Cow
bullock, Buck, Deer and Monkeys etc. have been painted. Fish and Crabs are also
painted. There are some social themes also painted in which dance, ornaments,
mother and child, Drinking party, hunting scene etc. are painted. Some paintings are
of processions on horses. Though these paintings the primitive hunter man has not
only successfully expressed his emotions but alsonthe mysterious nature and his
struggle for existence against the ferocious animals of the forests. These cave
paintings are the proof of one thing that this Madhya Pradesh , the heart of India, was
full of creative conciousness even before the dawn of the civilization.
Stick drawing , Bhimbaithka caves(Reference 1) Bimbaithka rock shelter(Reference 2)

Hunting scene,Bhimbaithka cave(Reference 3) Animal drawing, Bimbaithka cave(Reference 4)

Other important pre-historic centers in India :

1.Paleolithic age (400000- 10000 B.C.)- In this Period only sharp stone tools have
been found of lower Paleolithic age. In upper Paleolithic age some very sharp and
pointed tools has been found in Bhimbaithka caves.

Paliolithic period stone tools reference- 5 Paliolithic period stone tools reference-6
2.Mesolithic age (10000- 4000 B.C.)-Most of the paintings of this age have been
found in the Bhimbaithka cave. 475 painted caves are there. Mostly red and white
colour have been used for the paintings, but green and yellow colour also visible at
some places. There are beautiful depiction of animals like elephant, horses, cows,
bullocks,buffalos, boars etc. we also find social paintings like hunting men, group
dances, drinking party etc.

Bhimbaithka, Animals draw. Reference 7 Bhimbaithka, Animals draw. Reference 8

3.Neolithic age (4500-300 B.C.)- Under this age many centers have been discoverd
where the paintings of Neolithic age found. These important centers are-
Mirzapur- ghormangar, pabhosa, likhaniyadari, kohber, Bhaldaria, Kaudarkot,
Sorahoahat, Vijaygarh, Chunar etc. comes under this area.Most of these painted caves
have been found by the bank of the river sone. Mostly the caves are at unaccessible
places in forest. Camoor ranges are the same area where pre-historic paintings were
found for the first time in India.
Raigarh- Singhanpur , Kabra pahar,navagarh,Karmagarh,khairpur and Bolaldev
etc.comes under this area.
Singhanpur is the special place in this regoin.Mostly animals has been painted here
among which Boar, Buffalo , Elephant with raised trunk are important. Some painting
s of symbolic abstract sentiments are found here. Red and brown colour has been
used here.
Panchmarhi in Mahadev hill ranges,Imli khoh, Mahadev , Barar cave, Kajari,
Chhota Mahadev etc. are the important place of this region. There are paintings of
daily life in addition to hunting scenes,figures of warriors with bows and arrows,
dance and games sequence are painted. The animals are depicted in a line which
seems ornamental. The colours which has been used are mainly black,white and red.
There are white paintings with red outlines seen in this area.
Panchmarhi , hunting scene, Reference 9 Panchmarhi , hunting scene, Reference 10

Hosangabad- This place is situated about few miles away from Panchmarhi at the
bank of Narmada. Here we can see huge elephant painting with yellow colour as well
as a big buffalo of 10'x6' size with double line on the full part of the cave. Some
painting of four or five person with bows and arrows, horse riders,wild animals and
wild life are there in the vicinity. A large paintimg of a peacock under the rock with
some strait lines and an ornamental painting of an ancient wild goddess has been also
depicted here.

Men with bows and arrows, Reference 11 Wild goddess, Reference 12

Bhopal- Raisen, Katni, Panna, Chhatarpur, Gwalior and Chambal Valley are the main
centre of this region.Bhimbaithka caves is the main and important discoverd area near
Bhopal.
Uttar Pradesh- Being a part of Vindhya's extention, Banda region is very close to
Madhya Pradesh. Here for the first time all the reserch was done by C.A. Cillerrad
and the example of Pre-historic art are found in Sarhat , Malwa,Karia kund and
Baryarh.In these paintings there are two types of tendency is found :
a). To maintain the memory of the world in the vicinity.
b).To give definite shape or form to their abstract sentiments.
The life of Pre-historic man is depicted in thesepaintings.It was their daily routine to
first make the picture of the animals, exercise some sort of rituals over it then
collectively killing and eating that animal and thereafter to dance in hilarious mood.
All these paintings we find here of the Neolithic age.

Subject-matter and style of Pre-historic paintings-

Hunting scenes have been found in almost all the places mentioned above. The
reason for that is that the pre-historic man was solely dependent on prey for his food.
His daily routine was to kill some animal and eat the same. Mostly the hunting of
rhinoceros,elephant, ox, boar, tiger, buck, stag and porcupine is found among those
paintings. The depiction of birds and animals is not only with the point of view of
hunting but with the point of utility also. Goat and cows have been painted for the
same porpose. Birds and animals have been also painted for ornamentation purpose.
Depiction of birds is very rare only peacock has been depicted in few caves.

Man and dog, Reference 13 Procession scene, Reference 14

Symbols of worship and geometrical forms have been also depicted like
swastika,Trishul,Circle,Traingle etc. There are some signs and symbols have been
also found in these caves.

Ornamental designs , Reference 15 sign, symbols and abstract draw., Reference 16

sign, symbols and abstract draw., Reference 17

Depiction of human figures with bows and arrows with different weapons has been
found in the caves. In some caves bows and arrows are not depicted but some spears
like weapons are shown. Group dances and playing on drum like instruments has
been the subjects of the Pre-historic paintings.

Dance, Reference 18 Mother and child, Reference 19

Technique of Pre-historic paintings:

The primitive man lived with nature. He used whatever is available in his vicinity.
His best abode was the natural caves.Primitive man used only natural pigments like
geru,ramraj,coal and chalk etc. For glue they used only animal glue or plant glue.
They had used plant fibers to make brushes.

Pre-historic cave, Reference 20 coloured stones , Reference 21

coloured stones , Reference 22 Natural fiber brushes , Reference 23

Pre-historic painting brushes , Reference 24 Brushes , Reference 25

Horse rider or warriors, Reference 26 X-ray painting, Reference 27