APSC / UPSC PRACTICE QUESTIONS

 Q. Highlight the major themes of the pre - historic paintings of India.

Ans: 

The pre - historic paintings were executed on rocks and these rock engravings were called Petroglyphs. The first such painting was found in Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh by V. S. Wakankar. 

Major themes of pre - historic paintings:

a) In Bhimbetka painting the major theme were animals like bison, beers and tigers etc . They also depicted elephant, rhinoceros, cattle , snake , spotted deer , barasingha etc.

b) In upper paleolithic period, people depicted large animals like bison, elephant, rhino, tigers etc.

c) In Mesolithic period, they depicted group hunting, grazing activity and riding scenes.

d) In Chalcolithic period, people depicted mainly battle scenes. There are many paintings of man riding horses and elephants and even carry bow and arrow.

e) According to an evidence of Gogimara caves of Ramgarh hills , Chattisgarh, people depicted human figurines, animals , palm prints  , bullock carts etc.

           In the Chitwa Dongri we find a Chinese figure riding a donkey, pictures of dragons and agricultural sceneries.

To conclude with a famous quote of Gregory Colbert ' If you look at Paleolithic cave paintings,you see how people were depicted inside nature, not outside it. It was a kind of dream time . That's what I'm exploring '.