Rock Art Studies in India- A Historical Perspective

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I have great pleasure in placing before the world of scholars and enthusiasts the monograph Rock Art Studies in India-A historical perspective" by Dr Somnath Chakraverty In the Rock Art Studies in India the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, played a pioneering role in focusing attention on the importance and significance as a source material in the reconstruction of ancient period of Indian History, from the Palaeolithic age The Rock An Studies were initiated by the Asiatic Society in 1870, thanks to the discovery of H Rivett-Carnac followed by John Cockburn, AC Carlyle, CA Silberrad and others and their findings are replete in the pages of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.

There was, however, a lack of serious studies on Rock Art in recent years this year, the Asiatic Society has decided to organize a national seminar on Rock Art Studies in India to revive and initiate fresh and serious studies on Rock Art. The publication of the present monograph is part of that programme.

It is hoped that this monograph would rekindle our young researchers to undertake fresh studies on Rock Art with particular reference to its preservation for posterity.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge with thanks the assistance rendered by Professor Amita Roy, Dr. Yashodhar Mathpal, Dr. Robin Chatterjee, Archaeological Survey of India (for photography) and my colleagues in the Council in making this publication and the seminar a success.

Rock Art is possibly the only direct, authentic source of visual evidence to decipher the world of early man. Their views, both of environment and social realities are expressed through visual imagery Therefore, in global situation, interest towards rock art research is increasing considerably. The reputed international journal of social sciences like "Current Anthropology for last few years also concentrating on rock art. The field of rock art research is primarily a multi-disciplinary in approach and in Indian context, much more contribution from the physical scientists is urgently required. It is for designing a more justified analytical technique for ascertaining absolute chronology of rock art.

The rock art research in India is close to a crossword. At the dawn of this new millennium, the Asiatic Society of Kolkata is celebrating "130 years of Rock Art Research in India a retrospective for assessing society's pioneering role in it. Initially, during the year 1870. H Rivett-Carnac had published the first report in the Journal of the Asiatic Society on his discovery of a rock art site near Nagpur. Thereafter, in 1877 again Rivett-Carnac had attempted another such analytical report on his success in finding similar rock art site in Kumaon Himalayas. John Cockburn, a European officer followed Colonel Rivett-Carac and his archaeological expeditions which led to further discovery of several rock art sites (1883) from Mirzapore area of present day Uttar Pradesh. The other European officers and scholars who contributed significantly during the formative period of rock art research were respectively C.A. Silberrad, F.Fawcett, C.W. Anderson, D.H. Gordon and M.E.Gordon before the beginning of the modern period, the Asiatic Society became the leading centre in the field of rock art research.