Living Tradition: A Study of Prehistoric Rock-paintings and Indigenous Art from District Sonbhadra, Southern Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

In this I intend to weave together some emerging ideas on how to approach prehistoric art forms and art styles from an ethno-archaeological perspective by analyzing local tribal art traditions in the Kaimur region, in the district Sonbhadra, southern Uttar Pradesh (henceforth, U.P.), India. Prehistoric art is rooted in human evolution and has emerged gradually for finding solutions to many challenges of survival by people since 10,000 years ago. After studying more than twelve painted rock shelters of Prehistoric period, I have explored the art traditions and material culture of living tribal populations of Kol and Bhil in this area. This paper attempts to find out (i) how far back we could trace cultural roots and (ii) whether there is continuity in the cultural tradition (Paramparā) between the past and the present.