sign in sign up
<<
Home , Tsodilo

International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 13 October 2017

Global Distribution of Prehistoric Paintings Dr.Jagpal Mann Assistant Professor,Department Of History, Culture & Archaeology ,C.R.S.U.,Jind

Abstract The history about the discovery of cave paintings protect themselves from harsh weather and is very interesting. As is generally the case with defeat in a war. After over twenty years, the other discoveries, the detection of eminent prehistorian, Emile Cartailhac, changed was not a result of an expedition or due to a the perception of the archaeological society research project in art. The initial sighting was through an article “Mea Culpa d’un sceptique,” not even by an expert in the field. It is stated in acknowledging the importance of Sautola’s many books and articles written on cave finding and recognizing the intellectual and paintings or that the finding was artistic ability of our forebears,3 and by a similar accidental and by a girl in the of Altamira discovery of paintings in the caves of Font de in .1 Gaume in 1895.

Over a century and two decades have passed In Europe, new discoveries of rock art and cave from that time, when in the year 1879, Maria, the paintings were being made by scholars like young daughter of Don Marcellino S. Sautola, L’abbe Breuil, Cartalhae, Perony, Alcalde del rushed out of a cave in which she was playing, Rio, Obermaier, and others. These researchers calling out loud, “Bulls, Bulls,” hence accidently visited caves from to , where helping out her father and providing him the they excavated, discovered, and made copies opportunity to become the founder of rock art through photography, sketches, and drawings of studies. The news of the discovery is known the caves and art discovered by them. The most today as the “Sistine Chapel of Prehistory”.2 admirable of these scholars, Breuil, established the first rules for rock art studies. This discovery of art by Sautola was initially treated with disdain and contempt by the Similar discoveries occurred elsewhere in archaeological community, as they contested that different parts of the world, which altered the the paintings were done by man’s long-dated supremacy of the European rock art in ancestors. The argument provided was that they quantitative and chronological terms. Rock art is were painted by soldiers hiding in the caves to found around the world. As of today, rock art is

Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 399

International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 13 October 2017

reported from more than 70 countries, and over million figures, but it can be safely estimated that 20,000 sites are documented around the world. 4 the total number of rock art figures still The six principle regions recognized for rock art preserved should be well over 50 million. This worldwide in terms of their concentration and constitutes an extraordinary documentation of antiquity are: man’s intellectual adventures, an outstanding world heritage, and a unique source for historical 1. South-western Europe reconstruction. 2. Northern Africa 3. Southern Africa The discoveries made to date place southern 4. Africa with the greatest concentration of rock art 5. and in the world. The concentration of caves 6. North America consisting of rock art or prehistoric cave painting have been discovered and excavated in Angola, Rock art has been reported from Spain (Betran, , , , Malawi, 1982), (Anati, 1964), (Bahm, , , South Africa, , 1985), Scandinavia, Sweden, and Siberia , , and . In northern (Lommel, 1966), Western Alps (Seglie, 1988), Africa, the major concentrations are located in France (Wagneur, 1988), (Ogawa, 1988), , Chad, , Ethiopia, , Mali, (ZhaoFo, 1988), USSR (Ksica, 1988), Mauritania, , Niger, Somalia, and , Syria, Jordon, , and Saudi Arabia Sudan. (Anati, 1979), Tibet (Hui Sheng, 1988), (King, 1940), (Bandranayake et al., In Asia, numerous discoveries have been made 1986), (Bullen, 1988), New Guinea of the presence of rock art in the caves of (Newman and Mark, 1988), countries like , Israel, , Oman, Saudi (Taylor, 1988), and Fiji Land (Brodick, 1948).5 Arabia, and Turkey, , China, India, , Pakistan, and in several areas of In the book World Rock Art, directed and edited Russian Central Asia and Siberia. by Emmanuel Anati, who is well-renowned and recognized for his understanding and knowledge Major rock art sites in North America are located of rock art, it is stated that the world production in both and the USA. In Latin America, of rock art documented so far numbers over 35 they are known in , Bolivia, ,

Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 400

International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 13 October 2017

Chile, , Ecuador, Guatemala, , Botswana has built an interpretive museum at its , , and Venezuela. popular Hills site, as well as establishing the Southern African Rock Art Project. In In Europe, the findings have been made in 1996, they established the Trust for African France, Ireland, Italy, , Portugal, Spain, Rock Art, a nonprofit organization whose Sweden, , England, and Russia. mission is to survey, document, and monitor In Oceania, by far the major concentrations are sites, be an information resource, create global known in Australia, including Tasmania, while awareness of the importance and endangered others are found in Eastern Island (), state of Africa’s rock art, and promote and , New Guinea, New Zealand, and the support its conservation. 7 Solomon Islands. In Australia, which is very famous in the world In the world contexts, many popular and diligent context for rock art research, the Australian associations have been working in this field, such Rock Art Research Association (AURA) has as the International Federation of Rock Art been doing extremely good work on rock art. Organization (IFRAO), which is a federation of The European Rock Art Association pour le national and regional organizations promoting Rayonnement de Part paricial European the study of Palaeolithic art and cognitive (ARAPE) has been working for a long time. In archaeology globally.6 In addition, the American India, too, there are both governmental and non- Rock Art Research Association (ARARA) is at governmental efforts being made in this work in America, while in India the Rock Art direction.8 Society of India (RASI) and the Wakankar Rock Art and Heritage Welfare Society, References:- Bhopal (INDIA) is working enthusiastically in [1] Wakankar V.S 1990 – Painted Rock this field. Shelters of India P. 4-6. In Africa, which has the greatest variety of rock [2] Ibid. art, many of the greatest centres are working. [3] Ibid. The Rock Art Research Centre at the [4] Anati, Emmanuel, World Rock Art, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, 1994 P. 11. offers degree courses in rock art studies, and

Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 401

International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 13 October 2017

[5] Pradhan, Sadasiba 2001, Rock Art of Orissa, Aryan Book International, New Delhi, P. 3-4. [6] Mc. Donald Jo, 2006, Archaeology in Practice, Edi. Jane Balmi and Alistair Paterson, Blackwell Publishing, Ruplika Press Pvt. Ltd. India. P. 59-96. [7] Peter A. Young, July/August 2001, Edi. Archaeology, P. 40-50. [8] Mc. Donald Jo, 2006, Archaeology in Practice, Edi. Jane Balmi and Alistair Paterson, Blackwell Publishing, Ruplika Press Pvt. Ltd. India. P. 88.

Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 402