All about Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

The Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods, as well as the historic period, are all represented at the Bhimbetka rock shelters in central India. It displays the earliest traces of human life in India as well as Stone Age material dating back to Acheulian era. It is 45 kilometers south of Bhopal in the Raisen District of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site with seven hills and approximately 750 rock shelters spread out over 10 kilometers. At least some of the shelters have been occupied for over 100,000 years. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the rock shelters and caves provide evidence of a “unique look” into human settlement and cultural evolution from hunter-gatherers to agriculture and displays prehistoric spirituality.

Features of Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

• Some of the Bhimbetka rock shelters have prehistoric cave paintings, the oldest of which date back to the Indian Mesolithic period (c. 8,000 BCE)
• Animals, early traces of dance and hunting from the Stone Age, as well as warriors on horseback from a later time, are all depicted in these cave paintings (perhaps the Bronze Age)
• The Bhimbetka site contains India’s oldest known rock art, as well as one of the country’s largest ancient complexes
• Bhimbetka rock art is among the world’s oldest petro glyphs, with some similarities to Australian aboriginal rock art and the Paleolithic Lascaux cave paintings in France
• Only 12 to 15 of the 750 rock shelters are open to the public
• The Bhimbetka caves also have Precambrian fossils from hundreds of millions of years before the human era

Etymology

Bhimbetka is a compound word made up of Bhima (the second Pandava brother) and Baithaka, which means “Bhima’s resting area” or “Bhima’s lounge” (seat or lounge). According to local legend, Bhima slept here during his exile to interact with the villagers.

Paintings and Rock Art

Bhimbetka’s rock shelters and caves include a huge number of artwork. The earliest paintings have been discovered to be 10,000 years old, but certain geometric figures originate from the medieval period. Because the designs were often produced deep inside a niche or on inner walls, the colours utilized are vegetable colours that have endured over time. Seven distinct periods can be identified in the drawings and paintings.

Period I (Upper Palaeolithic): These are linear renderings in green of individuals dancing and hunting during Period I.

Period II (Mesolithic): The stylized figures in this group are quite tiny and have linear ornamentation on the body. Human figures and hunting scenes, in addition to animals, provide a clear picture of the weapons they used: barbed spears, pointed rods, bows and arrows. Some scenes are thought to show a tribal struggle between three tribes, each represented by an animal totem. Rhythmic movement is used to show communal dances, birds, musical instruments, mothers and children, pregnant women, men carrying dead animals, drinking, and burials. 

Period III (Chalcolithic): These drawings, like Mesolithic paintings, show that cave dwellers in this location were in contact with agricultural groups in the Malwa plains during this time, exchanging commodities with them.

Period IV & V (Early Historic): This group’s figures are painted primarily in red, white, and yellow and have a schematic and decorative style. Riders, religious symbols, tunic-like garments, and the survival of texts from various times are all linked. Figures of yakshas, tree gods and magical sky chariots depict religious values. 

Periods VI and VII (Medieval): These paintings are geometrically linear and more schematic, yet their artistic style shows degeneration and crudeness. The cave inhabitants’ hues were made by mixing black manganese oxides, red haematite, and charcoal.

Elephants, barasingha (swamp deer), bison, and deer are depicted on one rock known as “Zoo Rock.” A peacock, a snake, a deer, and the sun are shown in paintings on another rock. Two elephants with tusks are painted on another rock. Hunting scenes with hunters using bows, arrows, swords, and shields are also included in this group of prehistoric paintings. In one of the caves, a bison is seen pursuing a hunter while his two colleagues watch hopelessly nearby; in another, cavalry and archers can be seen. A huge wild bovine (perhaps a gaur or bison) is depicted in one picture.

The paintings are divided into two groups:

• Those depicting hunters and food gatherers
• Those depicting fighters riding on horses and elephants wielding metal weapons. 

The paintings in the first group are from prehistoric times, while the second group is from historical times. The majority of historical paintings depict fights between rulers with swords, spears, bows, and arrows. 

Conclusion

Thus, the Bhimbetka Rock Shelter possesses India’s earliest rock art and one of the greatest prehistoric complexes. Bhimbetka is an ancient site with 243 rock shelters that has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka can be found in the Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh, 45 kilometres south-east of Bhopal, and 9 kilometres from the city of Obedullaganj. This location is near the southern edge of the Vindhya Range. The Satpura mountain range can be seen extending in a southerly direction from these rock shelters. It can be found in the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located in the foothills of the Vindhya Range. The rocks that surround it are made of sandstone. Vinayaka, Bhonrawali, Bhimbetka, Lakha Juar (both east and west), Jhondra, and Muni Babaki Pahari make up the seven hills that make up this location.