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TodaysTopicPreHistoricRockPaintingandArtsofIndusValleyCivilization
PreHistoricRockPaintings
TheprehistoricperiodintheearlydevelopmentofhumanbeingsiscommonlyknownastheOldStone
AgeorthePalaeolithicAge.Prehistoricpaintingshavebeenfoundinmanypartsoftheworld.
Thesubjectsoftheirdrawingswerehumanfigures,humanactivities,geometricdesignsandsymbols.In
IndiatheearliestpaintingshavebeenreportedfromtheUpperPalaeolithictimes.Remnantsofrock
paintingshavebeenfoundonthewallsofthecavessituatedinseveraldistrictsofMadhyaPradesh,
UttarPradesh,AndhraPradesh,KarnatakaandBihar.Somepaintingshavebeenreportedfromthe
KumaonhillsinUttarakhandalso.
TherocksheltersonbanksoftheRiverSuyalatLakhudiyar,Uttarakhandbeartheseprehistoric
paintings.Lakhudiyarliterallymeansonelakhcaves.
FeaturesofLakhudiyarpaintings:
Thepaintingsherecanbedividedintothreecategories:man,animalandgeometricpatternsin
white,blackandredochre.
Humansarerepresentedinsticklikeforms.Alongsnoutedanimal,afoxandamultipleleggedlizard
arethemainanimalmotifs.
Wavylines,rectanglefilledgeometricdesigns,andgroupsofdotscanalsobeseenhere.
Oneoftheinterestingscenesdepictedhereisofhandlinkeddancinghumanfigures.

Thereissomesuperimpositionofpaintings.Theearliestareinblackovertheseareredochre
paintingsandthelastgroupcompriseswhitepaintings.
Also,thegraniterocksofKarnatakaandAndhraPradeshprovidedsuitablecanvasestotheNeolithic
manforhispaintings.ImportantsitesareKupgallu,PiklihalandTekkalkota.
FeaturesofpaintingsfromthesitesofKarnatakaandAndhraPradesh
Threetypesofpaintingshavebeenreportedfromherepaintingsinwhite,paintingsinredochre
overawhitebackgroundandpaintingsinredochre.
Thesubjectsdepictedarebulls,elephants,sambhars,gazelles,sheep,goats,horses,stylised
humans,tridents,butrarely,vegetalmotifs.
ButtherichestpaintingsarereportedfromtheVindhyarangesofMadhyaPradeshandtheirKaimurean
extensionsintoUttarPradesh.ThesehillrangesarefullofPalaeolithicandMesolithicremains
Forests,wildplants,fruits,streamsandcreeksintheseregionsprovidedaperfectplaceforStoneAge
peopletolive.
AmongthesethelargestandmostspectacularrockshelterislocatedintheVindhyahillsatBhimbetka
inMadhyaPradesh.Bhimbetkahasabouteighthundredrockshelters,fivehundredofwhichbear
paintings.
FeaturesofBhimbetkapaintings
Thethemesofpaintingsfoundhereareofgreatvariety,rangingfrommundaneeventsofdailylifein
thosetimestosacredandroyalimages.
Imagesincludehunting,dancing,music,horseandelephantriders,animalfighting,honeycollection,
decorationofbodies,andotherhouseholdscenes.
TherockartofBhimbetkahasbeenclassifiedintovariousgroupsonthebasesofstyle,techniqueand
superimposition.Thedrawingsandpaintingscanbecategorizedintosevenhistoricalperiods.
PeriodI,UpperPalaeolithic
PeriodII,Mesolithicand
PeriodIII,
AfterPeriodIIItherearefoursuccessiveperiods
UpperPalaeolithicPeriod
ThepaintingsoftheUpperPalaeolithicphasearelinearrepresentations,ingreenanddarkred,of
hugeanimalfigures,suchasbisons,elephants,tigers,rhinosandboarsbesidessticklike
humanfigures.

Afewarewashpaintingsbutmostlytheyarefilledwithgeometricpatterns.
Thegreenpaintingsareofdancersandtheredonesofhunters.
MesolithicPeriod
Thelargestnumberofpaintingsbelongthisperiod.
Duringthisperiodthethemesmultiplybutthepaintingsaresmallerinsize.
Huntingscenespredominate.Thehuntingscenesdepictpeoplehuntingingroups,armedwith
barbedspears,pointedsticks,arrowsandbows.
Insomepaintingstheseprimitivemenareshownwithtrapsandsnaresprobablytocatchanimals.
Thehuntersareshownwearingsimpleclothesandornaments.Sometimes,menhavebeenadorned
withelaborateheaddresses,andsometimespaintedwithmasksalso.
Elephant,bison,tiger,boar,deer,antelope,leopard,panther,rhinoceros,fish,frog,lizard,
squirrelandattimesbirdsarealsodepicted.TheMesolithicartistslovedtopaintanimals.
Insomepictures,animalsarechasingmen.Inotherstheyarebeingchasedandhuntedbymen.
Someoftheanimalpaintings,especiallyinthehuntingscenes,showafearofanimals,butmany
othersshowafeelingoftendernessandloveforthem.
Womenarepaintedbothinthenudeandclothed.
Theyoungandtheoldequallyfindplaceinthesepaintings.Childrenarepaintedrunning,jumping
andplaying.
Communitydancesprovideacommontheme.Therearepaintingsofpeoplegatheringfruitorhoney
fromtrees,andofwomengrindingandpreparingfood.
Someofthepicturesofmen,womenandchildrenseemtodepictasortoffamilylife.
Inmanyoftherockshelterswefindhandprints,fistprints,anddotsmadebythefingertips.
ChalcolithicPeriod
Thepaintingsofthisperiodrevealtheassociation,contact,andmutualexchangeofrequirementsof
thecavedwellersofthisareawithsettledagriculturalcommunitiesoftheMalwaplains.Manyatime
Chalcolithicceramicsandrockpaintingsbearcommonmotifs,e.g.,crosshatchedsquares,lattices.
Potteryandmetaltoolsarealsoshown.Butthevividnessandvitalityoftheearlierperiodsdisappear
fromthesepaintings.
Colours

TheartistsofBhimbetkausedmanycolours,includingvariousshadesofwhite,yellow,orange,red
ochre,purple,brown,greenandblack.Butwhiteandredweretheirfavouritecolours.
Thepaintsweremadebygrindingvariousrocksandminerals.Theygotredfromhaematite(known
asgeruinIndia).Thegreencamefromagreenvarietyofastonecalledchalcedony.Whitemight
havebeenmadeoutoflimestone.
Otherimportantfeatures
Theartistsheremadetheirpaintingsonthewallsandceilingsoftherockshelters.Someofthe
paintingsarereportedfromtheshelterswherepeoplelived.Butsomeothersweremadeinplaces
whichdonotseemtohavebeenlivingspacesatall.Perhapstheseplaceshadsomereligious
importance.
Themenshowninthepaintingsappearadventurousandrejoicingintheirlives.
Theanimalsareshownmoreyouthfulandmajesticthanperhapstheyactuallywere.
Theprimitiveartistsseemtopossessanintrinsicpassionforstorytelling.Thesepicturesdepict,ina
dramaticway,bothmenandanimalsengagedinthestruggleforsurvival.Inoneofthescenes,a
groupofpeoplehavebeenshownhuntingabison.Intheprocess,someinjuredmenaredepicted
lyingscatteredontheground.Inanotherscene,ananimalisshownintheagonyofdeathandthe
menaredepicteddancing.
Itisinterestingtonotethatatmanyrockartsitesoftenanewpaintingispaintedontopofanolder
painting.
AtBhimbetka,insomeplaces,thereareasmanyas20layersofpaintings,oneontopofanother.Why
didtheartistspaintinthesameplaceagainandagain?Maybe,thiswasbecausetheartistdidnotlike
hiscreationandpaintedanotherpaintingonthepreviousone,orsomeofthepaintingsandplaceswere
consideredsacredorspecialorthiswasbecausetheareamayhavebeenusedbydifferentgenerations
ofpeopleatdifferenttimes.
ArtsoftheIndusValleyCivilization
TheartsoftheIndusValleyCivilisationemergedduringthesecondhalfofthethirdmillenniumBCE.
Theformsofartfoundfromvarioussitesofthecivilisationincludesculptures,seals,pottery,gold
jewellery,terracottafigures,etc.
ThetwomajorsitesoftheIndusValleyCivilisation,alongtheIndusriverthecitiesofHarappainthe
northandMohenjodarointhesouthshowcaseoneofearliestexamplesofcivicplanning.
Othermarkerswerehouses,markets,storagefacilities,offices,publicbaths,etc.,arrangedinagridlike

pattern.
Therewasalsoahighlydevelopeddrainagesystem.WhileHarappaandMohenjodaroaresituatedin
Pakistan,theimportantsitesexcavatedinIndiaareLothalandDholavirainGujarat,Rakhigarhiin
Haryana,RoparinthePunjab,KalibanganandBalathalinRajasthan,etc.
StoneStatues
ThestonestatuariesfoundatHarappaandMohenjodaroareexcellentexamplesofhandlingthree
dimensional
Instonearetwomalefiguresoneisatorsoinredsandstoneandtheotherisabustofabearded
maninsteatite.
Thefigureofthebeardedmaninterpretedasapriest,isdrapedinashawlcomingundertherightarm
andcoveringtheleftshoulder.Thisshawlisdecoratedwithtrefoilpatterns.Theeyesarea
littleelongated,andhalfclosedasinmeditativeThenoseiswellformedandofmediumsizethe
mouthisofaveragesizewithclosecutmoustacheandashortbeardandwhiskerstheearsresemble
doubleshellswithaholeinthemiddle.Thehairispartedinthemiddle,andaplainwovenfilletis
passedroundthehead.Anarmletiswornontherighthandandholesaroundthenecksuggesta
necklace.
MALETORSO
Inthisredsandstonefigure,therearesocketholesintheneckandshouldersfortheattachmentof
headandarms.
Thefrontalpostureofthetorsohasbeenconsciouslyadopted.Theshouldersarewellbakedandthe
abdomenslightlyprominent.
BronzeCasting
TheartofbronzecastingwaspractisedonawidescalebytheHarappans.
Theirbronzestatuesweremadeusingthelostwaxtechnique.
Inbronzewefindhumanaswellasanimalfigures,thebestexampleoftheformerbeingthestatueof
agirlpopularlytitledDancingGirl.
DANCINGGIRL
FoundinMohenjodaro,thisexquisitecastingdepictsagirlwhoselonghairistiedinabun.
Banglescoverherleftarm,abraceletandanamuletorbangleadornherrightarm,andacowryshell
necklaceisseenaroundherneck.
HerrighthandisonherhipandherlefthandisclaspedinatraditionalIndiandancegesture.

Shehaslargeeyesandflatnose.
Amongstanimalfiguresinbronzethebuffalowithitsupliftedhead,backandsweepinghornsandthe
goatareofartisticmerit.
ThecopperdogandbirdofLothalandthebronzefigureofabullfromKalibanganareother
examples.
BULL
Themassivenessofthebullandthefuryofthechargeareeloquently
Theanimalisshownstandingwithhisheadturnedtotherightandwithacordaroundthe
ThelateHarappanandChalcolithicsiteslikeDaimabadinMaharashtrayieldedexcellentexamplesof
metalcastTheymainlyconsistofhumanandanimalfigures.
Terracotta
TheIndusValleypeoplemadeterracottaimagesalsobutcomparedtothestoneandbronzestatues
theterracottarepresentationsofhumanformarecrudeintheIndus.Theyaremorerealisticin
GujaratsitesandKalibangan.
ThemostimportantamongtheIndusfiguresarethoserepresentingthemothergoddess.
MOTHERGODDESS
Themothergoddessfiguresareusuallycrudestandingfemalefiguresadornedwithnecklaces
hangingoverprominentbreastsandwearingaloinclothandagirdle.
Thefanshapedheaddresswithacuplikeprojectiononeachsideisadistinctdecorativefeatureof
themothergoddessfiguresoftheIndusValley.
Thepelleteyesandbeakednoseofthefiguresareverycrude,andthemouthisindicatedbyaslit.
Interracotta,wealsofindafewfigurinesofbeardedmaleswithcoiledhair,theirposturerigidly
upright,legsslightlyapart,andthearmsparalleltothesidesofthebody.Therepetitionofthisfigure
inexactlythesamepositionwouldsuggestthathewasadeity.
Aterracottamaskofahorneddeityhasalsobeenfound.
Toycartswithwheels,whistles,rattles,birdsandanimals,gamesmenanddiscswerealsorendered
interracotta.
Seals
Archaeologistshavediscoveredthousandsofseals,usuallymadeofsteatite,andoccasionallyof
agate,chert,copper,faienceandterracotta,withbeautifulfiguresofanimals,suchasunicornbull,

rhinoceros,tiger,elephant,bison,goat,buffalo,etc.
Thepurposeofproducingsealswasmainlycommercial.Itappearsthatthesealswerealsousedas
amulets,carriedonthepersonsoftheirowners,perhapsasmoderndayidentitycards.
ThestandardHarappansealwasasquareplaque22squareinches,usuallymadefromthesoft
riverstone,steatite.Everysealisengravedinapictographicscriptwhichisyettobedeciphered.
Somesealshavealsobeenfoundingoldandivory.
Theyallbearagreatvarietyofmotifs,mostoftenofanimalsincludingthoseofthebull,withor
withoutthehump,theelephant,tiger,goatandalsomonsters.
Sometimestreesorhumanfigureswerealsodepicted.
Themostremarkablesealistheonedepictedwithafigureinthecentreandanimalsaround.This
sealisgenerallyidentifiedasthePashupatiSealbysomescholarswhereassomeidentifyitasthe
femaleThissealdepictsahumanfigureseatedcrosslegged.Anelephantandatigeraredepicted
totherightsideoftheseatedfigure,whileontheleftarhinocerosandabuffaloareseen.In
additiontotheseanimalstwoantelopesareshownbelowtheseat.
Sealssuchasthesewerefoundinconsiderablenumbersinsitessuchastheancientcityof
MohenjodarointheIndusValley.Figuresandanimalsarecarvedinintaglioontheir
Squareorrectangularcoppertablets,withananimalorahumanfigureononesideandan
inscriptionontheother,oraninscriptiononbothsideshavealsobeenfound.Thesecoppertablets
appeartohavebeenamulets.Unlikeinscriptionsonsealswhichvaryineachcase,inscriptionsonthe
coppertabletsseemtobeassociatedwiththeanimalsportrayedonthem.
Pottery
TheIndusValleypotteryconsistschieflyofveryfinewheelmadewares,veryfewbeinghandmade.
Plainpotteryismorecommonthanpaintedware.Plainpotteryisgenerallyofredclay,withorwithout
afineredorgreyslip.Itincludesknobbedware,ornamentedwithrowsofknobs.
Theblackpaintedwarehasafinecoatingofredsliponwhichgeometricandanimaldesignsare
executedinglossyblack
Polychromepotteryisrareandmainlycomprisessmallvasesdecoratedwithgeometricpatternsin
red,black,andgreen,rarelywhiteandyellow.
Incisedwareisalsorareandtheinciseddecorationwasconfinedtothebasesofthepans,always
insideandtothedishesofofferingstands.

Perforatedpotteryincludesalargeholeatthebottomandsmallholesalloverthewall,andwas
probablyusedforstrainingliquor.
Potteryforhouseholdpurposesisfoundinmanyshapesandsizes.
BeadsandOrnaments
TheHarappanmenandwomendecoratedthemselveswithalargevarietyofornamentsproduced
fromeveryconceivablematerialrangingfrompreciousmetalsandgemstonestoboneandbaked
clay.
Whilenecklaces,fillets,armletsandfingerringswerecommonlywornbybothsexes,womenwore
girdles,earringsandanklets.
HoardsofjewelleryfoundatMohenjodaroandLothalincludenecklacesofgoldandsemiprecious
stones,copperbraceletsandbeads,goldearringsandheadornaments,faiencependantsand
buttons,andbeadsofsteatiteand
ItmaybenotedthatacemeteryhasbeenfoundatFarmanainHaryanawheredeadbodieswere
buriedwithornaments.
Thebeadindustryseemstohavebeenwelldevelopedasevidentfromthefactoriesdiscoveredat
ChanhudaroandLothal.
Beadsweremadeofcornelian,amethyst,jasper,crystal,quartz,steatite,turquoise,lapislazuli,etc.
Metalslikecopper,bronzeandgold,andshell,faienceandterracottaorburntclaywerealsousedfor
manufacturing
Thebeadsareinvaryingshapesdiscshaped,cylindrical,spherical,barrelshaped,andsegmented.
Somebeadsweremadeoftwoormorestonescementedtogether,someofstonewithgoldcovers.
Someweredecoratedbyincisingorpaintingandsomehaddesignsetchedonto
TheHarappanpeoplealsomadebrilliantlynaturalisticmodelsofanimals,especiallymonkeysand
squirrels,usedaspinheadsandbeads.
Fashionandotheraspects
Itisevidentfromthediscoveryofalargenumberofspindlesandspindlewhorlsinthehousesofthe
IndusValleythatspinningofcottonandwoolwasverycommon.
Thefactthatboththerichandthepoorpractisedspinningisindicatedbyfindsofwhorlsmadeofthe
expensivefaienceasalsoofthecheappotteryandshell.
MenandwomenworetwoseparatepiecesofattiresimilartothedhotiandTheshawlcoveredtheleft

shoulderpassingbelowtherightshoulder.
FromarchaeologicalfindsitappearsthatthepeopleoftheIndusValleywereconsciousoffashion.
Differenthairstyleswereinvogueandwearingofabeardwaspopularamongall.
Cinnabarwasusedasacosmeticandfacepaint,lipstickandcollyrium(eyeliner)werealsoknownto
ManystonestructuralremainsarealsofoundatDholavirawhichshowhowtheIndusValleypeople
usedstoneinconstruction.
TheartistsandcraftsmenoftheIndusValleywereextremelyskilledinavarietyofcraftsmetal
casting,stonecarving,makingandpaintingpotteryandmakingterracotta
imagesusingsimplifiedmotifsofanimals,plantsandbirds.
TomorrowsTopicMauryanArtsBestWishesIASbaba