It is a presentation on Prehistoric art and Indus valley civilization art under the subject of Indian Art and History.

1. Assignment 1
Topic : Prehistoric Art & Indus Valley
Civilization Art
Presentation by: VAIBHAVI GEDAM(AD3)

2. Earliest upright human beings came into existence 4.4 millionyears ago.
Homo sapiens i.e. “The wise humans” appearedabout 200,000 years ago. The
Earliest humans were fromAfrica. As the Ice Age glaciers receded, humans
spread across Asia, intoEurope, and finally to Australia and the Americas.
The Prehistoric art survives in a small fraction of the total art created. Study of
Prehistoric art beganonly 200 years ago.

3. • Palaeolithic(Old Stone Age) (35,000 – 8000 BCE)
(Paleo= old/ Lithic= stone)
• Mesolithic (MiddleStone Age) (8000 – 4000 BCE)
(Meso= middle/ Lithic= stone)
• Neolithic(NewStone Age) (4000 – 1500 BCE)
(Neo = new / Lithic = stone)
• Bronze Age (2300 - 1000 BCE)
(Bronze - alloymetalmadefromtinand copper)
• IronAge (1000 BCE – 50 CE)

4. Discovery:Late 19th century
Location:Northern Spain
(Thefirstcaveinwhichprehistoricpaintingswere
discovered)
Altamira Cave
Mainsubjects of cave paintings:
• Survival
• Large wild animals viz. Bison, Horses, Aurochs,
and Deer
• Tracings of human hands as well as abstract
patterns called finger flutings.
• Worship/ Spirituality
• Fertility
Forms:
• Anatomical exaggeration
• Pictorialdefinition
• Twisted perspective

5. Prehistoric painters usedthe pigments
available in the vicinity (Earthpigments).
• Minerals (limonite and hematite, red ochre,
yellowochre and umber)
• Charcoal fromthe fire (carbonblack)
• Burnt bones (bone black)
• White fromgroundedcalcite(limewhite)

6. The Bhimbetkarockshelters are an
archaeological site in central India that spansthe
prehistoricPaleolithic andMesolithicperiods, as
well as the historicperiod. It exhibits the earliest
traces of humanlifeon the Indian subcontinent
and evidence of StoneAge startingat the site in
Acheulian times. It is located in the RaisenDistrict
in the Indian stateof Madhya Pradeshabout 45
kilometers(28 mi) south-east of Bhopal. It is a
UNESCOWorld Heritage Site that consistsof
sevenhills and over 750rock shelters distributed
over10 km (6.2 mi). At least some of the shelters
were inhabited more than100,000 yearsago.

7. • Duringthis periodsculpture was necessarilysmall (in order to be portable)
and mainlyconsisted of either figurines or decoratedobjects.
• These things were carved(fromstone, bone or antlers) or modeled withclay.
• Most sculptures found are of animals and women.
Bison lickingits shoulder
(15,000BCE.)
Nude WomanWoman fromBrassempouy
(22,000 BCE.)
(28,000- 25,000BCE.)
LionMan of
the
Hohlenstein
Stadel
(38,000BC)

8. The Indus valley Civilizationis one of India’s most ancient civilized cultures.
This civilizationprevailed in the Indus valley .
The cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa were situatedon the bank of the
Indus and Ravi. Mohenjo-Daro and Chandra were discovered in theSindh
province, whereas Harappa was discoveredin the Punjab province of pre-
independentIndia. It was spread fromNorth-west Frontier Province and the
Himalayan foothills, to Gujrat, Saurashtra in south, and the Gangetic valley
on the east. Indus Valley civilizationcame intoprosperity aroundtheperiod
3000 BC. There is a lot of similarity that is seenbetween the seals found at
Indus Valleyand in Mesopotamia.

9. • They made clay figures of animals and women that probably were
used in special rituals.
• Small limestone was used to carve sculptures of deities.
• They buriedtheir dead in woodencoffins along withpottery vessels
with food, ornaments made of gold, silver and precious stones.

10. • Mostlypeaceful farmers.
• Built large cities withordered streets and bricks made all the same size.
• Strong central government.
• Statues of priests and kings.
• Advanced civilization withlarge cities, running waterand sewage system.
• Writing developed fromearlier trading seals, which let the merchants name
and symbols of trade items.
• The mainsocietywas classifiedinto four categories– Brahmana, Kshatriya,
Vaishya, Shudra.

11. Mohenjo-Daro : Aerial view • Therewere well plannedcities and towns
built on massive mud brickplatforms.
• In larger cities the houses were made of
backed bricks.
• The houses were multi – storied.
• The houses were connectedto an elaborate
drainage system.
• They constructed wells, bathing areas and a
place for proper sanitation.

12. The Great Bath
Wells
Drainage
System
CoveredSever

13. • The artisans painted various designson pottery, different type of clay
figurines, toys, seals and ornaments.
• Theywere usuallymade of clay, bronze andsilver.
• Theymade metal idols, earthenkilned sculptures( terracotta), stone
sculpts, coins etc.
• Theystarted usingwheels from2300-2200BCE.
Dancing
Girl
Torso
Priest
KingToyPottery

14. • Indus valley farmers plantedwinter crops like wheat, barley, peas,
lentils, linseedand mustard.
• In summer they grewmillet, sesame and cotton.
• Evidence shows that about half the animal bones came fromcattle.

15. • The Indus cities were connected with rural agriculture communities and
distantresources and mining areas through strong trading system.
• The outsiders were attracted to India for its ornaments, metal tools and
pottery.
• Cotton, lumber, grainand other food stuffs were the major commodities
of this internal trade.
• They tradedwithIranand Persian gulf.

16. Presentationby: VAIBHAVI GEDAM(AD-3)