Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Convenors:
Mr. Praveen C. K., Project Associate, Adi Drishya Division, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, India, praveenckrishna@gmail.com
Dr Tosabanta Padhan, Teaching Fellow, School of Historical Studies, Nalanda University, Bihar, India, tpadhan@gmail.com
Ms Sachipan Srikanlaya, SEAMEO Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO SPAFA), Bangkok, Thailand, sachipan@seameo-spafa.org
Dr Richa Negi, Head, Adi Drishya Division, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, India, dr.richanegi.adidrsya@gmail.com
Ms Baishnavi Thapa, Project Assistant, Adi Drishya Division, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, India, baishnavithapa@gmail.com
The existence of humans was identified by their markers retained in the form of cultural materials recovered from different parts of the world, including the periodical occurrences of those in an archaeological context, viz., from the prehistoric to medieval periods. Their existence was identified from the prehistoric tools and creative ability found on the bare surface of rocks called rock art. As the tool technology suggests in the prehistoric period, stone tools supported the lives of the people. Subsistence of the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic peoples was nomadic hunting- gathering, while Neolithic peoples dwelled in settlements, produced food and practiced agriculture. During the hunting-gathering stage, Palaeolithic peoples lived in rocky, hilly and forest regions where sufficient plant and animal food was available. Once agriculture became the prime subsistence, they started clearing the forests to make more lands for cultivation and moving to more fertile regions looking for the availability of perennial water. Settled life, resources and leisure time led the earliest settlers to move on and engage in creative artistic activities in their lives.
This session aims to understand the lifestyles of ancient peoples, their subsistence and certain practices and instances from their daily lives. This led to different areas of utility to fulfil the needs for subsistence, like clothing, shelter, and, much later, oral narratives that were and still are practiced within the various communities of South Asian countries.
Sub themes:
1. Creative impulses on rocks, stone tools, pottery, etc. as part of survival
2. Expressions of civilisational artists and their outcomes
3. Lifestyle activities of the earliest peoples and ethnographic amalgamation
4. Creative-artistic activities on textiles and their traditions
5. Influence of narrative- oral traditions into the life of people.
Papers:
Interwoven Heritage: Exploring the Connection Between Rock Art Motifs and Dongria Kondh Textile Designs in Odisha, India
Baishnavi Thapa, Project Assistant, Adi Drishya Division, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, India
Rock art is an intricate domain reflecting the cognitive and cultural aspects of humanity. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to decode and understand its meanings fully. India boasts a rich artistic heritage, with rock paintings offering a window into the lives of its prehistoric inhabitants. The paper tries to explore the profound connection between the rock art motifs in Odisha and the vibrant textile designs of the Dongria Kondh tribe, emphasising humanity’s enduring need to preserve, communicate, and transmit knowledge and culture. The origin of art, primarily expressed through geometric signs and symbols, is evident in rock art and continues to influence various artistic forms, including contemporary art. The study highlights the persistence of these symbols among the Dongria Kondh people, intricately woven into their textile designs, reflecting their beliefs and cultural identity. The research underscores cultural continuity and the relevance of these practices in modern contexts, including their influence within the modern fashion industries. It offers a tangible representation of intangible cultural expression, bridging ancient traditions with contemporary artistic practices.
Subsistence to Artistic Repercussions: Pastoralist Traditions of the South-Western Coastal Indian Region
Praveen C. Krishna, Project Associate, Adi Drishya Division, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, India
In recent years archaeological research and studies have changed from singly oriented to multi-dimensional approaches. Now material culture is approached in a different sense, not only in terms of use and technology, but also to understand the vagaries of a person. India’s western coast is an ecological hotspot, with natural and biological diversified regions having different archaeological sites providing evidence of earliest human activities. The paper discusses archaeologically important regions in south-western India, emphasising the communities that practiced pastoralism, agriculture and artistic traditions. These traditions spanned from the Neolithic to the late Historical periods. We can find material evidence in the form of Neolithic stone tools, ash mounds, rock art, etc. Important archaeological sites like Budihal, Sanganakallu, Maski from Karnataka, rock art sites from the Konkan region, Ettukudukka and Begalam from Kerala provide sufficient information. Artistic activities are found on the rocks in the form of animal representations, like bull figurines, that are very common in south Indian rock art. South Indian ash mounds are the best examples of agro-pastoralism and currently the Kurumbas and Kurumars communities still follow this tradition.
Oral Narratives and Traditional Practices Among Local Communities in India: A Study Through the Lens of Rock Art
Richa Negi, Head, Adi Drishya Division, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, India
India, being a diverse nation, showcases its cultural richness through the local communities that serve as vital threads in the fabric of Indigenous knowledge systems, preserving traditions and identity across generations. This diversity is evident in various traditional practices and artistic expressions passed down through generations. These oral narratives encapsulate the cultural, social, and historical essence of different tribes and ethnic groups. In this context, rock art plays a crucial role in reflecting and preserving these oral traditions. This paper explores the relationship between oral narratives and the visual expressions found in rock art, focusing on how traditional clothing, Indigenous sports, headgear and pottery are depicted and preserved through these artistic forms. For instance, ancient board games, similar to those depicted in the rock panels of Faridabad, highlight the cultural significance of games. Odisha’s rich oral traditions, including head pins and ritualistic practices, are intricately tied to rock art, which aids in preserving these cultural elements. The Kolam floor art of Tamil Nadu and headgear, a significant cultural symbol, has long been an essential part of various tribal identities across India. Therefore, it stresses the need to protect and maintain these traditions as they bridge ancient customs with modern-day practices.
Fertility Cult (Kamyoga) and its Connection with Human Primeval Vision
Dileep Kumar Sant
At the time of creation of the universe, the first thing that emerged in the mind of the creator was ‘Kama’….
Nature and humans are complementary to each other. The resources provided by nature helped in the creation of humans, while humans, based on abilities, compiled the core principles related to the origin of nature and humanity in philosophical form. Evidence can be seen in all the religions, sects and communities of the world. Here nature and humans are tangible (Drishya) while the principles related to their origin are abstract (Adrishya). In the Indian philosophical theory, the universe is created by Brahma, here Brahma is referred as Panchmahabhuta (the five elements- sky, water, fire, air and earth). These elements let to the creation of humans. In this creation the first stage is stated as Kamyoga. The visible representation of Kamayoga is also evident in archaeology, which includes prehistoric paintings, stone and terracotta figures (Matridevi), Linga-Yoni symbols etc. In this paper, the inter-relationships between the above mentioned philosophical and archaeological aspects of Kamayoga been presented.
The Menhirs – An Imprint of the Past: A Narrative of Social Status and Community Identity Among the Lotha Nagas, in Nagaland
Mhachani Ovung, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, India
This present discussion will examine the Menhirs constructed by our ancestors, a testament to the past that conveys the social position and communal identity of the Lotha Nagas in northeastern India. While traversing the terrain of Nagaland, one may observe menhirs intermittently positioned in and near ancestral villages. These menhirs are situated in the habitational zone or along the route to the terrace fields. The Lotha villages of Pyotchu and Moilan in Nagaland are explored through ethnography to understand the erection of menhirs and the stages of the related feast of merit associated with it, a megalithic custom. The importance of feasting or the transfer of excess riches enables individuals to obtain distinct social rights and prestige, such as increased influence in village decision-making, embellishment of their residence, and the wearing of distinctive traditional woven shawls. In addition to the benefactor acquiring exclusive rights for the redistribution of amassed riches to fellow community members, it also, in a manner, contributes back to society. This in a way highlights and projects the characteristics of nearly an equal social system. The celebration of merit encompasses not only the host but the entire community. Each bears responsibility for the success of the endeavour.
Palaeolithic and Rock art Investigation in Eastern Gujarat, India
Tosabanta Padhan, Nalanda University, Rajgir, Bihar, India
Alok K. Kanungo, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IITGN), India
In this paper, we report the discovery of several new Palaeolithic and rock art sites in the Orsang river basin, located in the Chhota Udepur district of eastern Gujarat. Discovered lithic artefacts range from Palaeolithic to microlithic periods, and their geological context, typology, raw material, and site formation process provide important clues regarding early hominin behaviour and adaptation in the study area. The rock art of Gujarat is evidenced by isolated rock shelters with paintings and the absence of large painted rock shelter complexes. The rock art sites are found in areas that are archaeologically rich and known for the findings of large numbers of Palaeolithic and Microlithic sites. The discovered sites are geologically part of the Aravalli range, where rock shelters are formed due to the weathering of the large granite boulders. The rock shelters are found on granitic hills and thickly forested regions depicted with humans, animals, plants, geometric and enigmatic motifs, and layers of superimpositions are common to most sites. The discovered rock paintings range from the Late Palaeolithic/Mesolithic to late historical periods. Conditions of the rock art sites are critical due to several manmade disasters, which required immediate conservation and protection measures.
Rethinking Iron Age and Peopling of Alluvial Plains in Kerala, Southwest Coast of India
Jenee Peter, Dept of History, Union Christian College, Aluva, Kerala, India
Rethinking on the creative impulses and constructive decisions by the people of Kerala using iron and their diverse responses to changing landscapes through technology and new subsistence practices is necessary. The transitional phase from Iron Age to Early Historic has been the theme of archaeological studies for the past two decades in Kerala fuelled by excavations under the Muziris Heritage Project. However, recent debates on the antiquity of Iron in India based on radiometric dates from Tamil Nadu (Rajan and Sivanantham 2025) have necessitated looking at the transitional phase from stone using to metal using cultures around 1000 BCE onwards. Stone axes with Neolithic affinity were sporadically reported from different coastal, fluvial and hill landscapes in Kerala since the 1890s. These have been found in substantial numbers from the site of Mekkaladi in the Periyar basin in central Kerala over the past 25 years. Both geomorphological data and OSL dates from the Periyar basin support the onset of a wetter climate. A subsequent shift to plant domestication can be postulated. The flooded alluvial plains have a limited variety of resources apart from agricultural productivity and clay for ceramic production. This necessitated a shift in subsistence strategy and people might have migrated from the surrounding hills.
Beyond Erotica: Tantric Iconography and Architectural Sectarian Identity, Bhoramdev Temple, Chhattisgarh
Rahul Gautam, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat
The Bhoram Dev Temple, nestled in the hills of the Kawardha district of Chattisgarh, known as Khajuraho of Chattisgarh, is a silent storyteller where sculptures whisper centuries-old science, engineering, architecture, and belief systems and stone transforms into poetry. Although erotic sculptures have historically been seen as merely ornamental features at Bhoramdev Temple, this study challenges conventional wisdom by examining the intricate relationship between sensuous craftsmanship and sacred geometry. Through archival study, literature review, and infield ethnography, this work posits a syncretic spiritual identity based on the temple’s architectural DNA, transcending the Shaiva-Vaishnava binary categories. The two primary concepts of the research are the architectural sectarian identity of the Bhoramdev Temple and the ritualistic link of eroticism with tantrism. By comprehending this semiology of desire and devotion, this study differentiates between medieval architects who turned stone into a three-dimensional tantra: a sculpting-based temple-meditation method we now call ‘materialisation.’
Rock Art, Red Ochre, and Microlithic Traditions of Bargarh Upland, Western Odisha, India
Kshirasindhu Barik, Curator, Sambalpur University, Jyoti Vihar, Odisha, India
The Bargarh Upland of Western Odisha, India, an archaeologically rich area, preserves evidence of Late Pleistocene and early Holocene human occupation via several microlithic sites and rock art sites. Recent investigations in the Debrigarh-Lohara massif have revealed rock shelters with monochrome pictographs predominantly executed in dark purple-red ochre. These artistic expressions, found alongside microlithic artefacts, suggest a deep-seated relationship between symbolic behaviour and technological practices. The open-air contexts of microlithic industries in the Jira, Ong River system further reinforce the dynamic interaction between habitation, tool production and use of mineral pigments. Notably, sites such as Torajunga, Barpadar, and Kasurdih, Bijapali, Telmahul yielded hematite nodules in primary and stratified contexts, hinting at long-distance procurement. The absence of ceramics, petroglyphs, and domestic animal representations suggests a distinct cultural identity of the region’s occupants. This paper explores the spatial and functional relationship between red ochre use and microlithic traditions and cognitive and symbolic dimensions positioning the Bargarh Upland within broader Late Palaeolithic frameworks.
Inception of Written Communication Through Rock Paintings and Engravings; Study on Kerala Rock Art
Ratheesh Chendravayil, independent scholar
Agith K. Sreedhar, independent scholar
Societal life of humans begins with communication. Before the use of oral and written forms of communication gestures, facial expressions, and other modes of non-verbal communication were used. The beginning of written communication take a critical phase in the development of human societies and the transition from oral to written knowledge. Rock art or cave art refers to a set of ancient human made symbols found in rock shelters and caves. These take the form of etchings (petroglyphs) and pictures (pictographs), and were regarded as the earliest forms of written communication. Through the paintings or carvings early humans were sharing such knowledge about their surroundings, culture, beliefs etc. These kinds of symbols or pictures are considered as written forms of communication and may have served as a background to script development. This particular study tries to examine how the earlier written forms of engravings and pictographs helped to shape the trajectory of script tradition and to fill the gap between pre-literate and literate societies. This study also looks to critically evaluate mainly two rock art sites in Kerala: Edakkal from the Wayanad district and Marayoor from the Idukki district.
Exploring the Symbolism of Church Mural Art at Mar Sabor and Mar Afroth Church, Akaparambu, Kerala: An Inquiry into Techniques, Materials, and Cultural Significance
Arun P. Malat, Dept of Archaeology & Material Culture Studies, Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, Kerala, India
Kerala has a long-standing rich heritage in seafaring; hence, it has one of the oldest Christian traditions in India, much prior to the arrival of Europeans via all sea routes. Early Christians, who arrived in the early part of the 1st millennium in Kerala, were called St Thomas Syrian Christians, who followed an ancient Syriac liturgy. The mural paintings of Mar Sabor and Mar Afroth Church, located at Akaparambu, Kerala, exhibit a rich and complex blend of artistic conventions, religious symbolism, and local values.
In this article, the article analyses the peculiarities of the mural paintings of this church, their symbolic meanings, the artistic medium and technique used, their contexts, and the values assigned by the community to these pieces of art. By scrutinising the mural paintings with great attention, the article tries to offer insights into the historical, religious, and social contexts that gave rise to the artwork and its significance for the present day for the people of Kerala. Murals of the church function as a visual language for the articulation of biblical narratives, religious concepts, and spiritual values. Murals of Mar Sabor and Mar Afroth Church are replete with symbolism consonant with theological beliefs and social values of the community.