A powerpoint presentation on the Rock shelters of Bhimbetka, a historic Paleolithic period rock shelters. Its contains full information, history geography and features. Its is very informative. Its a good guide for tourists who loves to visit India and its historic monuments. Thank you No rights reserved. Raxit Gupta made this

1. Rock shelters of
Bhimbetka
An Art Appreciation Project On
Bhimbetka Cave Paintings
Presented by: RAXIT GUPTA
Class : IX C
School : K.V. BALLYGUNGE
(Art Integrated Project With Social Science)

2. • THE BHIMBETKA ROCK SHELTERS ARE AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SITE IN CENTRAL INDIA THAT SPANS THE PREHISTORIC
PALEOLITHIC AND MESOLITHIC PERIODS, AS WELL AS THE
HISTORIC PERIOD. IT EXHIBITS THE EARLIEST TRACES OF
HUMAN LIFE IN INDIA AND EVIDENCE OF STONE AGE
STARTING AT THE SITE IN ACHEULIAN TIMES

3. Location Raisen District, Madhya
Pradesh, India
Criteria Cultural – one of the ancient
civilizations of the world
Inscription
( become UNESCO world Heritage site)
2003 (27th session)
Area ( total area covered by rocks) 1,893 ha (7.31 sq mi)
Buffer zone 10,280 ha (39.7 sq mi)
Coordinates (longitude and latitude as
Cartesian system in globe)
22°56′18″N 77°36′47″E

4. • THE ROCK SHELTERS OF BHIMBETKA ARE IN THE FOOTHILLS OF
THE VINDHYAN MOUNTAINS ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE
CENTRAL INDIAN PLATEAU
• THE CAPITAL CITY OF MADHYA PRADESH,INDIA- BHOPAL IS THE
NEAREST RAILHEAD TO BHIMBETKA. THE RAILHEAD IS AROUND
37KMS AWAY FROM BHIMBETKA AND IS CONNECTED TO ALL THE
DOMESTIC RAILHEADS.
• IS FAMOUS IN ALL OVER THE WORLD AS IT IS THE UNESCO WORLD
HERITAGE SITE.
• IS IS THE OLDEST ART GALLERY OF THE WORLD IN INDIA.
• IT IS EASY TO REACH THERE BY ROAD .
Bhimbetka Rock Shelters
MADHYA
PRADESH

5. Satellite image of Bhimbetka

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7. • SPANNING ACROSS 10 KM, THERE ARE CLOSE TO 750 ROCK
SHELTERS AND SEVEN HILLS IN THE AREA. THESE CAVES
HAVE NOW BEEN DECLARED A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
SITE, OWING TO THEIR HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. IN 1957,
ARCHAEOLOGIST DR. VISHNU WAKANKAR NOTICED THESE
STRUCTURES FROM THE TRAIN WINDOW ON HIS WAY TO
NAGPUR

8. • UNLIKE MODERN DAY ART, CAVE PAINTINGS WERE DONE ON BARE ROCK
SURFACES WITHOUT ANY PREP ON THE SURFACE. IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY
PLASTERING OR SMOOTHENING OF THE ROCK, IT IS FASCINATING THAT
THE COLOURS ARE STILL INTACT ON THE ROCKS AFTER MILLENNIA.
SANDSTONE IS A SEDIMENTARY AND HIGHLY ABSORBENT ROCK, ABLE TO
RETAIN COLOURS THAT SEEP INTO ITS SURFACE. TO PAINT, NATURAL
SOFT FIBRES AND HAIR WERE USED AS BRUSHES, AND IN SOME CASES
PAINT WAS APPLIED USING FINGERS. MOSTLY WHITE AND RED COLOURS
WERE USED WITH THE RARE APPEARANCE OF GREEN AND OCHRE. TO
MAKE THESE MINERAL COLOURS, THE ARTISTS OF YORE TURNED TO THE
ELEMENTS, USING WHITE CLAY, IRON ORE, STONES,ETC….

9. SANDSTONE IS A SEDIMENTARY AND HIGHLY
ABSORBENT ROCK, ABLE TO RETAIN COLOURS THAT
SEEP INTO ITS SURFACE. TO PAINT, NATURAL SOFT
FIBRES AND HAIR WERE USED AS BRUSHES, AND IN
SOME CASES PAINT WAS APPLIED USING FINGERS.
MOSTLY WHITE AND RED COLOURS WERE USED
WITH THE RARE APPEARANCE OF GREEN AND
OCHRE

10. THE SUBJECT MATTER IN BHIMBETKA IS
PARTICULARLY RICH, REPRESENTING MANY
ASPECTS OF LIFE FROM EARLY TIMES TO LATER
PERIODS, FROM HUNTING SCENES TO RELIGIOUS
FOLK SYMBOLS LIKE DANCING AND CELEBRATION.
HERE WE HAVE A MYTHICAL ANIMAL, ENHANCED
BY DSTRETCH. THE PAINTS WERE MADE BY
GRINDING VARIOUS ROCKS AND MINERALS. THEY
GOT RED FROM HAEMATITE (IRON OXIDE, KNOWN
AS 'GERU' IN INDIA). THE GREEN CAME FROM A
GREEN VARIETY OF A STONE CALLED CHALCEDONY.
WHITE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MADE OUT OF
LIMESTONE.