Putting paintings and pigments in perspective a multidisciplinary study of rock art from the central narmada valley madhya pradesh

Abstract

Rock art is one of the earliest forms of human expression, offering valuable insights into newlinethe lives of ancient communities. In India, rock paintings, found in numerous shelters, span newlineprehistoric to historic times and depict daily life, spiritual beliefs, and artistic practices. newlineHowever, many rock art sites, particularly in central India, remain understudied, limiting newlineour understanding of these artworks and hindering conservation efforts. This thesis newlineaddresses the gap by focusing on the scientific analysis of pigments from the newly newlinediscovered rock shelters in the Sehore and Narmadapuram Districts in the Vindhyan and newlineGondwana ranges. These sites, including Talpura, Mandikhoh, and Chikli-Chandla Kalan, newlinecontain over 4,624 individual paintings, 414 cupule marks, and 33 engravings documented newlineacross 114 rock art shelters at 15 locations. The study aims to reveal the materials and newlinetechniques used by ancient artists, which can offer clues about the age, cultural practices, newlineand environmental conditions of the period. Despite extensive research at Bhimbetka, newlinesimilar sites in the central Narmada region have been neglected. Modern analytical newlinetechniques like X-ray fluorescence (XRF), field-emission scanning electron microscopy newline(FESEM-EDX), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and Raman newlinespectroscopy were applied to analyse the composition of various natural ingredients on the newlinelandscape. Comparing these sources with original archaeological pigments in the future can newlinehelp determine if materials were locally sourced, providing insights into human mobility, newlineland use and social interaction. In addition to the scientific analysis, the thesis emphasises newlinethe importance of conserving these fragile paintings and proposing sustainable strategies newlinelike non-invasive methods, protective measures, and guidelines for responsible tourism. In newlineconclusion, this study contributes to the understanding of Indian rock art by exploring the newlinematerials and methods used by ancient artists in the understudied central Narmada