Prehistory refers to the time before the existence of written language or recorded history. This era lacked books, documents, or any written records.
The prehistoric period in the early development of human beings is commonly known as the Old Stone Age or the Palaeolithic Age.
Initially, understanding how people lived during prehistoric times was challenging due to the absence of written records.
Scholars began to uncover insights into prehistoric life through excavations at ancient sites where prehistoric people lived.
Excavations yielded various artifacts such as old tools, pottery, human and animal bones, and remnants of habitats.
One of the significant discoveries was drawings on cave walls, providing valuable clues about prehistoric life and culture.
Scholars pieced together information gleaned from these artifacts and cave drawings to construct a coherent understanding of prehistoric times.
Through analysis and interpretation, scholars have been able to develop fairly accurate knowledge about the lifestyle, activities, and behaviors of prehistoric humans.
Once basic needs like food, water, clothing, and shelter were met, people felt the urge to express themselves.
Painting and drawing emerged as the oldest forms of art practiced by prehistoric humans. They utilized cave walls as their canvas to express themselves creatively.
The prehistoric paintings were generally executed on rocks and these rock engravings are called Petroglyphs.
Art served as a means for prehistoric humans to communicate, express ideas, record events, and possibly convey spiritual beliefs or rituals.
Prehistoric Rock Paintings
Prehistoric paintings offer insights into early human beings’ lifestyles, food habits, and daily activities.
They provide valuable information about the thought processes and mentalities of ancient humans.
Remains from the prehistoric period, including rock weapons, tools, ceramics, and bones, serve as witnesses to the evolution of human civilization.
Among these remnants, rock paintings stand out as the most significant legacy left behind by primitive humans from this era.
The first discovery of rock paintings was made in India in 1867–68 by an archaeologist, Archibold Carlleyle.
Rock paintings found in cave sites across various districts: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, and Uttarakhand’s Kumaon hills.
Notable site: River Suyal at Lakhudiyar, near Almora-Barechina road.
Lakhudiyar Rock Paintings:
Location: Along the banks of River Suyal, Lakhudiyar.
Categorization: Paintings classified into humans, animals, and geometric patterns.
Pigments Used: Predominantly white, black, and red ochre.
Depictions:
Human figures portrayed as simplistic stick-like forms.
Prominent animal motifs include long-snouted creatures, foxes, and multiple-legged lizards.
Geometric designs: wavy lines, filled rectangles, clusters of dots.
Intriguing Scenes: Hand-linked dancing human figures depicted.
Superimposed Paintings and Other Discoveries:
Evidence of superimposed paintings: black, red ochre, and white layers.
Reports of engraved slabs found in Kashmir.
Granite rocks in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh used as canvases by Neolithic artists.
Prominent Rock Painting Sites:
Notable sites: Kupgallu, Piklihal, Tekkalkota.
Types of Paintings:
White compositions.
Red ochre over white backgrounds.
Solely red ochre compositions.
Periods Covered: Late historical, early historical, and Neolithic.
The pre historic paintings can be classified in three major phases:
Upper Paleolithic Paintings
Mesolithic Paintings
Chalcolithic Paintings
Upper Paleolithic Paintings (40,000–8000 BC)
In India the earliest paintings have been reported from the Upper Palaeolithic times.
Paintings during the Upper Palaeolithic phase primarily consist of linear representations using green and dark red pigments.
These artworks prominently feature colossal animal figures such as bisons, elephants, tigers, rhinos, and boars, alongside simplistic stick-like human figures.
While some paintings utilize wash techniques, the majority are characterized by intricate geometric patterns filling the compositions.
The green paintings often depict dancers, while the red ones portray hunters, creating a color-coded distinction between different themes and activities.
This distinction sheds light on the varied cultural practices and societal dynamics of the Upper Palaeolithic era.
Mesolithic Paintings (10,000-8,000 BC)
Mesolithic paintings, contains the largest number of artworks.
Despite the proliferation of themes, paintings are generally smaller in size during this period.
Hunting scenes dominate the Mesolithic paintings, portraying groups of people armed with barbed spears, pointed sticks, arrows, and bows.
Some depictions feature primitive men using traps and snares to catch animals.
Hunters are typically depicted wearing simple clothes and ornaments, occasionally adorned with elaborate head-dresses and masks.
Animals depicted include elephant, bison, tiger, boar, deer, antelope, leopard, panther, rhinoceros, fish, frog, lizard, squirrel, and birds.
Mesolithic artists display a strong affinity for painting animals, showing them both chasing and being chased by humans.
Some animal paintings, particularly in hunting scenes, convey a sense of fear, while others express tenderness and affection towards animals.
Animals are depicted in a naturalistic style, while humans are portrayed stylistically.
Women are depicted both nude and clothed, with representations of all age groups.
Children are often portrayed engaging in playful activities like running, jumping, and playing.
Community dances and scenes of people gathering food provide common themes.
Some paintings suggest a depiction of family life, with men, women, and children featured together.
Many rock-shelters contain hand prints, fist prints, and fingertip dots, possibly serving as signatures or symbols of communal identity.
Chalcolithic Paintings (2500-700 BC)
During this period, there was an increase in paintings utilizing green and yellow colors.
Notably, cave paintings at Narsinghgarh in Maharashtra depict the drying skins of spotted deer.
Paintings on seals from the Harappan civilization also date back to thousands of years ago, indicating early instances of visual art.
Predominant themes in Chalcolithic paintings include battle scenes, with depictions of men riding horses and elephants armed with bows and arrows, suggesting preparation for skirmishes.
Musical instruments like the harp are also depicted in some paintings.
Complex geometrical shapes such as spirals, rhomboids, and circles are present in certain artworks.
Chhattisgarh boasts a variety of caves containing paintings, including Udkuda, Garagodi,Khaperkheda, Gotitola, and Kulgaon, showcasing human figurines, animals, palm prints, and bullock carts.
Jogimara caves in the Ramgarh hills of Surguja district, Chhattisgarh, feature paintings predating Ajanta and Bagh Caves, dating back to around 1000 BCE.
Similar paintings are found in Ghodasar and Kohabaur rock art sites in Koriya district.
Chitwa Dongri in Durg district features paintings of a Chinese figure riding a donkey, dragons, and agricultural scenes, providing insight into ancient cultural exchanges and daily life.
Features of Prehistoric Rock Paintings
Paint-Making Process:
Colors derived from grinding various rocks and minerals.
Red pigment obtained from haematite (geru in India), green from a green variety of chalcedony stone, and white possibly from limestone.
Rocks or minerals ground into powder, mixed with water, and sometimes thick or sticky substances like animal fat, gum, or resin from trees.
Brushes made from plant fibers.
Survival of colors attributed to chemical reactions of oxide present on rock surfaces.
Location and Context of Paintings:
Paintings found on walls and ceilings of rock shelters.
Some paintings discovered in shelters inhabited by people, while others in locations with potential religious significance.
Notably, some of the most beautiful paintings found high up or close to the ceilings of rock shelters, possibly for visibility from a distance.
Quality and Themes of Paintings:
Despite limitations like adverse working conditions and inadequate tools, paintings exhibit pictorial quality and charm.
Scenes depict the environment in which artists lived, with adventurous and joyous depictions of men and youthful, majestic animals.
Artists demonstrate a passion for storytelling, depicting dramatic struggles for survival between humans and animals.
Mastery in drawing individual animals evident in proportion and tonal effect realistically maintained.
Often, new paintings are painted over older ones, with some sites showing as many as 20 layers of paintings at places like Bhimbetka.
Bhimbetka Rock Paintings
Location:
It is located south of Bhopal in Vidhyan ranges of Madhya Pradesh with rock shelters having more than 500 rock paintings.
The caves of Bhimbetka were discovered in 1957–58 by V. S. Wakankar
It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.
Timeline of Paintings:
Oldest paintings estimated to be 30,000 years old, located deep inside caves, ensuring their preservation.
Continuity in cave occupancy observed from 100,000 BC to 1000 AD, with many paintings layered on top of each other.
Some locations exhibit up to 20 layers of paintings, indicating repeated use over time.
Bhimbetka paintings span Upper Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Chalcolithic, early historic, and medieval periods, with Mesolithic paintings being the most prevalent.
Painting Techniques:
Various colors used, including red ochre, purple, brown, white, yellow, and green, obtained from natural resources.
Red color derived from haematite ores, white likely from limestone, and green from chalcedony.
Brushes crafted from plant fibers.
Themes of Paintings:
The themes of paintings found here are of great variety, ranging from mundane events of daily life in those times to sacred and royal images.
These include hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders, animal fighting, honey collection, decoration of bodies, and other household scenes.
Animals such as elephants, bison, deer, peacocks, and snakes prominently featured.
Simple geometric designs and symbols also present in the artwork.
