ROCK PAINTINGS OF INDIA: AN ORNITHOGRAPHICAL INTERPRETATION

Author(s): Yashodhar Mathpal

Source: Bulletin of the Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute , MARCH
1976, Vol. 35, No. 3/4 (MARCH 1976), pp. 83-93
Published by: Vice Chancellor, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute
(Deemed University), Pune

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/42930026

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 ROCK PAINTINGS OF INDIA : AN ORNITHOGRAPHICAL
INTERPRETATION

Yashodhar Mathpal

Rock painting - Rock paintings are the paintings executed in minera

and ochre colours on bare rock surfaces, without any preparation
ground, in naturally formed caves, rockshelters and rock hollows. Ca
and rockshelters were used as habitation by man in the Stone Age
over the world. As the remotest record of man's aesthetic activity th
paintings depict animals, birds and a variety of scenes of cultural, social a
private life of prehistoric man. In India, rock paintings have been a subj
of study and investigation for more than a hundred years. We fin
number of animals and birds some of which are extinct in those areas
today. However, their study has not attracted the attention of scholars,
particularly as far as their scientific classification and nomenclature
(order, family, genus and species) are concerned. Here we give an ornitho-
graphical interpretation of Indian rock paintings, taking into consideration
the classificatory notions of order, family, genus and species of the bird9
depicted in these paintings.

Birds of India - India has a rich and diverse fauna and flora. Out
of 8650 species of total living birds of the world India has some 1200
species in all, which represent 75 lamilies and some 20 orders (Ali and
Futehally 1967:4). Although birds have a significant place in art,
literature, religion, mythology and other aspects of Indian life, yet ornitho-
logy has not caught attention of Indian scholars except a few ones. In ancient
India, however, the birds were not only a source of entertainment, but
also a matter of careful and scientific observation (Vaidya 1958:108,
Jin Vijay 1935:28).
A comprehensive study of Indian birds was done in the seventies of the
last century by T. C. Jerdon. Thereafter scholars like A. O. Hume (Hume
and Marshall 1878, 79, 80) , W. T. Blanford and E. W. Oates, S. Baker,
H. Whistler (1949) and C. B. Ticehurst studied the subject. Salim Ali
(1946) and Futehally have provided a good treatise on Indian birds
(Salim Ali and Futehally 1967) . The Bombay Natural History Society
has contributed considerably to the study of Indian birds.

Classification of Rockpainting Birds - According to a simple classifica-

tion offered by Hanauer et al (1967:152) Rock Painting Birds (hereafter
R.P.B.) can be grouped into four major groups : 1. Perching birds,
2. Birds of prey, 3. Water birds and 4. Non flying birds.

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84 YASHODHAR MATHPAL

Figure 1

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 ROCK PAlNTlNöS OF ÍNDIA: ORNITMOGRAPHtCAL INTERPRETATION 8$

1. Perching birds - Perching birds or singing birds, which usually

sit on the branches of tree, feed on food grains, fruits and small insects
and pests, include Baya weaver bird, Hodgronb-Rosenfinch, Red Munia,
House sparrow, Common lora, Common Myna, Koel, Red-rumped swallow,
Pigeons, Doves and House crow and some other birds we see in our environs.
These birds have however, so far not been reported in any of the rock
paintings of India, excluding one that is recorded by J. Gupta (1967:
176-77, Plate-XXVII-1) from Baniaberi shelter in Pachmarhi region. The
bird is probably a Southern Black bird ( Turdus simillinms) which is
shown sitting on a branch of a tree. There are three figures of monkeys
galloping around a man in the same composition. One beehive, full of
bees is also depicted on the branch occupied by the bird. Since many of
these birds are mainly 'iood-grain-dependants', the absence of such birds
testifies indirectly to the antiquity of these rock-paintings relating to a
period when there were no cultivated food grains and man was basically
a hunter. Wakankar (1973:384) has reported two drawings at Katra
Vihar (Rajgarh) and at Kharwai (Raisen) which he identifies as crow
and sparrow. However, not having seen the originals or their reproduc-
tions, the author is not in a position to comment on their identification.

2. Birds of prey - Birds sustaining on carcasses of dead animals and

small mammals as well as on small birds are grouped as birds of prey.
These birds can fly up to considerable heights with the help of their strong
wings. They contain curved beaks and big strong claws. In rock paint-
ings we find only the King Vulture ( Sarcogps calvus ) in Imlikhoh shelter
(Pachmarhi) (Gupta, 1967:182-85, Plate XXXV), whereas birds of the
group such as Bengal Vulture, Scavenger Vulture, Pariah kite, Brahminy
kite, Sikra, Shaheen falcon, Red headed merlin, Spotted owlet and Great
homed owl etc., are found all over India today. Wakankar (1973:422) has
recorded seven drawings of 'Vultures' from Putii Karar shelter in Raisen
district of M.P. and Pachmarhi in District Hoshangabad.

3. Water birds - There are two groups of water birds. The birds,
having oily feathers (to prevent the water from soaking) and webbed
feet, can swim and dive in water. The others, which cannot swim or dive,
but like the water. They bear long bills and lean legs. Birds of both
groups are capable of making good flights. They are mostly migratory
birds. Water birds so far recognized in Indian rock paintings are Bar-
headed Goose ( Anser indietis) (found in Kandakot shelter, Mirzapur,
Gupta 1967:120, Plate XXI-2), Painted snipe ( Rostratula bengalensis) ,
Common snipe ( Capella gallingo) , Common sand piper ( Tringa hypo-
leucus) , White ibis ( Threskiomis melanocephaltis) (all recorded from
Bhaldaria shelter II, Mirzapur, Ghosh 1932:17, Plate XXV-a), Little
carmorant (. Phalacrolerax niger) (found in Mahadeo shelter, Pachmarhi
Gordon n.d. :35), Pochard (Nyroca ferina) (in shelter No. IIIE-12,

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86 YASHODHAR MATHPAL

Bhimbetka-Author, Painting No. 250) , S

(in shelter No. IIIC-6, Bhimbetka-Author,
{Antigone antigone) . Demoislle crane ( A
whistling teal ( Dendrocygna javanioa) an
(all recorded from Naryauli shelter,
XXXIV-1).

4. Non flying and occasionally flying birds - Penguin and Ostrich are
the birds which cannot fly because of their comparatively small wings.
Both these birds are not found in India at present. But birds like Pea-
fowl, Jungle fowls, Quails, Partridges which occasionally fly are commonly
found in India. Thirty drawings of Common peafowl ( Povo cristatus)
have been recorded in Indian rock paintings, (fifteen from Mirzapur,
ten from Bhimbetka, three from Pachmarhi, one from Adamgarh and one
from Sagar, see Ghosh 1932:16, Plate XVI I-h, Gupta 1967:184-85, Plate
XXXVII-1, XXXVI 1-2, 120, Plate XXI-3; Author, Painting Nos. 162,
197, 376; Gordon n.d.:35; Gupta 1967:184, Plate XXXVI-3, 4 etc.).
Jungle fowls ( Gallus sonnerattii and Gallus gallus) (Gupta 1967:493-94,
Plate X-3) have been identified in seven-six at Bhimbetka and one at
Pachmarhi. Two faded drawings of Ostriches ( Struthio camelus) (Gupta
1967:206, Plate XX) following one human and one animal figure are
found in Bazar cave at Pachmarhi. Although drawings given by Gupta
are close in shapes to Ostriches, but he has not mentioned them as the
Ostriches. The identification, in fact needs further investigations.

As the classification shows, 'non flying birds' are prédominent in rock

paintings (67.5%). 'Water birds are the next main group (27%) and
prey birds' are third in number (3.8%) whereas 'perching birds' account
for only 1.7% of the whole group, (see Fig. 1) . Peafowl is the principal
bird (75%) of all non flying birds. It is also the bird having highest
frequency (50.8%) in all the drawings of R.P.B.

R.P.B. : a technical evaluation

Technique - Technically Indian rock paintings can be divided into

four groups, Dry colour painting (Crayon technique), Wet transparent
colour painting (Water colour technique) , Wet opaque colour painting
(Oil or tempera colour technique) and Spray colour painting (Stencil
technique) . On rock surfaces, other drawings which have been drawn
without the help of colour, are also recorded. These are called chiseled
or incised drawings (viz. Engraving, Carving and Bruising) . So far no
bird figure has been found incised on rock surface. Moreover, stencil tech-
nique is used only for hand prints. In Indian rock paintings examples of
crayon technique are also very few. It is the wet colour, either trans-
parent or opaque, which is in frequent use in the rock paintings of India.
As already mentioned, rock paintings are executed in mineral and ochre

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ROCK. PAINTINGS OF INDIA: ORŇITHOGRAPHICAL INTERPRETATION 87

colours, probably diluted in water and used with some other sticky sub-
stance, such as animal-fat or vegetable juice, etc. Brushes might have
had pointed eages as the lines of many drawings are quite sharp and thin.
The colour most commonly used for R.P.B, are white and haematite red.
Haematite is recorded in many shades ranging from light orange and
vermilion to sepia and dark purple. White colour was prepared probably
from soft limestones. At Bhimbetka the author has collected many
pieces of haematite, varying in all these shades and a limestone stick
purposely rubbed in all facets. During excavations (in shelter IIIF-23,
conducted by Dr. V. N. Misra, 1973-75) colour pieces were found in all
Mesolithic layers.

Style - Drawings are found depioted in Naturalistic, Decorative, Geo-

metric and Stylised forms. Sometimes the whole body of a bird is
filled in colour making a silhouette. Birds such as White Ibis, Painted
snipe, Common snipe, Common sand piper (all in Bhaldaria rock shelter
in Mirzapur) (Ghosh 1932:17, Plate XXV-a) Shoveller, Lesser whistling
teal, Demoiseffe Crane, Saras crane (all in Naryauli shelter in Sagar)
(Gupta 1967:181, Plate XXXV-1), Little carmorants (in Mahadeo and
Jambu Dwip shelters both at Pachmarhi) (Gordon n.d. 35), Pochard
and Peafowls (in shelters IIIE-12 and fIIC-27 at Bhimbetka) are depicted
in Naturalistic style, filling the whole body in one colour. Sometimes
only a part of the body is left unpainted, as we see drawing of Peafowls
in shelter IVA-21 at Lakhajuar in Bhimbetka region. In many R.P.B.
drawings the body is decorated with parallel lines as in shelter IIIC-43
at Bhimbetka and in Kohbar shelter at Mirzapur. Decorative drawings
of Peafowls, executed in haematite lines are found in Likhania shelter in
Mirzapur. A peafowl drawing in Adamgarh shelter is Stylised in shape,
whereas a Peafowl recorded in Son Bhadra shelter (Pachmarhi) is painted
in white colour and outlined in red. The jungle fowls depicted in orangish
lines in the shelter IIIC-43 at Bhimbetka are all good examples of Geo-
metric style. There are many cases of R.P.B. composed alone, e.g. Little
carmorants (in Mahadeo and Baniaberi shelters, at Pachmarhi) and
Peafowls (in Imlikhoh and Son Bhadra shelters at Pachmarhi). Some-
times birds are depicted in pairs (as King Vultures and Little carmorants
in Imlikhoh and Jambu Dwip shelters at Pachmarhi and Pochards in
shelter IIIE-12 at Bhimbetka). Peafowls are generally shown in groups
(in shelters IIIC-43, IVA-21 at Bhimbetka and Lakhajuar and Lakhania-I
shelter in Mirzapur) . Birds of different species following one another
are also found painted in groups. Water birds in groups of four are
recorded from Bhaldaria (Mirzapur) and Naryauli (Sagar) shelters. In
Monte Roza shelter (Pachmarhi) Peafowl and goat facing each other are
depicted (Gupta 1967:184, Plate XXXVI-3). Ostriches following a man
and a goat are found in Bazar cave (Pachmarhi) . Jungle fowls (in
shelter IIIC-43, at Bhimbetka) are shown as marching with horse-riders.
Drawing of a Peafowl on the branch of a tree is composed with a band

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88 YASHODHAR MATHPAL

of drummers, dancers and soldiers. One horse

and a figure of a blackbuck are also associate
water birds, found in the shelter of Naryauli
oval shaped circle. The carmorant in Mahade
depicted with a thick and curved underline.

Drawing found in the lower layers of painting

are older and mostly naturalistic, whereas easily
on upper layers are of late period. They are s
shapes.

Antiquity - The remotest record of man's occupation in a cave or a rock-

shelter goes as far back as some three hundred thousand years. But the art
in the form of rock painting, engraving and sculpture has not been
recorded beyond the Upper Palaeolithic period, some thirty thousand
years ago. On the basis of the archaeological evidences it can be said that
in India, paintings on rock are found with the commencement of the
Mesolithic culture, broadly ten thousand years ago and are evidenced
even up to the beginning of the Historic period. Drawing of a Peafowl
found in shelter IIIF-24 at Bhimbetka can be taken as the earliest draw-
ing of a bird. The water birds depicted in Bhaldaria shelter in Mirzapur
and in shelter 1 1 IE- 12 at Bhimbetka can also be placed among the oldest
drawings. Birds composed with other animals and with men are un-
doubtedly later creations. In a shelter (IIIC-43) at Bhimbetka, Jungle
fowl with a chicken is shown following two men, a scorpion and a giant
flower. These two men are depicted as balancing four other men, standing
on a platform up on their heads. The fowl is followed by a panther.
One flower with eight curved petals is also drawn near the left leg of the
fowl. In the same shelter towards bottom on the left the horseriders,
marching in two lines, are accompanied by two chicks and one Jungle fowl.
Jungle fowl is drawn as leading the band, whereas the chicks are shown
near the head on both sides of the armour-clad chieftain. An idea of omen
can be interpreted from such compositions of many unrelated things.
In an Upper Palaeolithic cave painting, found in the cave of Lascaux,
(Dordogne France) , a bird is probably portrayed as the symbol of human
soul, as the painting shows a wounded bison charging a man, with a bird
mask. A bird, sitting on a pole is depicted near the figure of the falling
man. The bird as symbol of a soul was also used in Ancient Cultures of
Egypt, Greece (Cirlot 1962:27) and Orient. However, it is difficult to
ascertain all naturalistic figures of R.P.B. as the symbols of souls. We
can believe that cave artists loved the birds, loved their beauty and move-
ments. They felt joy to paint these figures on the walls of their shelters.
There were probably other motives behind this activity of art, but pre-
dominence of peafowl, a most beautiful bird, found in R.P.B. of India,
supports the former assumption.

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ROCK PAINTINGS OF INDIA: ORNITHOGRAtHICAL INTERPRETATION 89

Note - In this primary attempt of identification of R.P.B, some birds,

like middle bird in the group of four birds depicted in Naryauli shelter
at Sagar, which is identified as Demoisell crane and one big bird, which
is also recognized as Spoon bill, recorded in shelter IIIC-6 at Bhimbetka
and a white bird of considerable size though close in resemblance with
that of a pigeon but grouped in 'non fiying birds', are confusing by their
shapes. Most of R.P.B, are not in good state of preservation. Old
figures are very faded and overlapped by later drawings. Moreover R.P.B,
are depicted either in silhouette or in one colour line drawings. The identi-
fication of birds found at Sagar, Mirzapur and Pachmarhi is based on the
black and white copies of the paintings as the author could not visit all
the sites.

REFERENCES

Ali, S. 1946. The Book of Indian Birds (IV ed.), Bombay Natural History Socie
Ali, S. and Z. Futehally. 1967. Common Birds, N. Delhi, National Book Trust.
Cirlot, J. 1962. A Dictionary of Symbols , London, Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Ghosh, M. R. 1932. Rock Paintings and Other Antiquities of Prehistoric and Later
Times, Memoirs of the Archaeoligical Survey of India, No. 24.
Gordon, D. H. n.d. Indian Rock Paintings, Reprinted from Science and Culture,
Calcutta.
Gupta, J. 1967. Pragaitihasik Bharteeya Chitrakala (Hindi), Delhi, National Pub.
House.

Hanauer, M. A., Hardie, P. L. & Burr, J. 1967. Biology Made Simple, London,
W. H. Allen.

Hume, A. O. & Marshall, C. H. T. 1878. The Game Birds of India, Burma and Ceylon,
Vol. I, Calcutta.
1879. The Game Birds of India. Burma and Ce'lon. Vol. IT; Calcutta
1880. The Game Birds of India, Burma and Ceylon, Vol. III. Calcutta.
Vaidya, P . L. 1958. Laiita Vistara (ed.) Darbhanga Mithila Institute of Post Graduate
Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning.
Wakankar, V. S. 1973. Painted Rock shelters of India, Ph.D. Thesis. Poona University
(UnoublishedV

Whistler, H. 1949. Popular Hand book of Indian Birds (IV ed.) London, Gurn
and Jackson.

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 90 YASHQÛH AR MATHPAL : ROCK PAINTINGS OF INDIA ORNITHOGRAPH IČAL 1NTERPJW&TATION

CHART- A

ZOOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS SHOWN

Classes of Order Family Scientific nomen- Bird's name Original colour Size
Birds dature

Perching Turdus simillimus Southern Grey brown 23 cm.

Birds Black bird

Birds of Accipitres
Prey

Water Grallae Gruidae Anthropoides virgo Demoisellecrane f Black and 83 cm.

Birds ' greyish white
Anseres Anatidae ( D
ļ Javanica ( teal
Spatula clypeata Shoveller green, back brown 50 cm.
Head & neckglossy

Grallae Gruide Antigone antigone Saras crane White 1 metre

Herodiones Plataleidae f Platalea- Spoon bill White 83 cm.
' leucorodia
Ibididae Threskiornis- White ibis White, bill grey 50 cm.
melanocephalus face black
Limicolae Rostratulidae Rostratula- Painted snipe Olivaceous-brown, 25 cm.
benghalensis blackish-barrs
Charadriidae Capella gallingo Common snipe D
Tringa hypoleucus Common sandpiper Go
upper part and
white below

Anseres Anatidae Anser indicus Bar headed goose Milky brown 75 cm.

Steganopodae Phalacro- Phalacrocorax- Little carmorant Dark purple, 50 cm

coracidae niger white patch on
throat

ft t9 M **

If » m M

Anseres Anatidae Nyroca ferina Pochard Head and neck 45 cm

chestnut, upper
back black

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 YASttODHAR MATHPAL : ROCK PAINTINGS OP INDIA 4 ORNITHOGRAPHICAL INTERPRETATION 9l

IN INDIAN ROCK PAINTINGS

Colour in Style Rocksheiter Region Painting Rf. Bird reference

painting

White Naturalistic Baniaberi Pachmarhi Gupta, 1967:176 Ali, S. 1946:52-53

White Decorative Imlikhoh „ Gupta, 1967:181-82 Whistler, 1949:350-52

Plate-XXXV-1 Ali, S. 1946:246-47

Naturalistic Naryauli Sagar Gupta, 1967:181 Ali, S. 1946:346-347

Plate-XXXIV-1

Ali & Futehally, 1967:36-37,

Plate- 17

Whistler, 1949:534-36

Ali & Futehally, 1967:49-50

Dark red „ IIIC-6 Bhimbetka Author Ali, 1946:388-89
Painting No. 112

Dull crimson „ Bhaldaria Mirzapur Ghosh, 1932:17 Ali, S. 1946:390-91

Plate-25

„ „ Whistler, 1949:478-80

„ » ,♦ „ Ali & Futehally,

1967:28-29, PI. 9
Whistler, 1949:466-68

Light red „ Kandakot „ Gupta, 1967:120 Ali & Futehally

Plate-21-2 1967:34-35, PI. 15

White „ Mahadeo Pachmarhi Gordon, n.d.: 35 Ali, 1946:384-85

Light red Decorative Jambu Dwip „ Gupta, 1967:183 „

White „ Baniaberi „ Plate XXXV „

Light crimson Naturalistic IIIE-12 Bhimbetka Author, Painting Whistler, 1949:536-37

No. 250

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 92 yashoohar mathpal : rock paintingš of india : ornithogïiaphical INTERPRÉTATION

CH ART -A - (contd. )

ZOOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS SHOWN

Classes of Order family Scientific nomen- Bird's name Original colour Size
Birds dature

Non flying Gallinae Phasianidae Povocristatus Common Peafowl Rich blue neck, more
and greenish-gold-back, than
Occasionally train-bronze-green 2 mere
flying „ „ „ „ with dark blue marks
Birds

„ ,, n t> » a

?» >? »i » »» »»

•» M f> •» M ?»

•3 »» »» y» >» >»

„ » »» ?» " *»

j« »■» M >> ,f

» » » **

Gallua gallus and Red and Grey Red has golden 60 to

Gallus sonnerati jungle fowls neck, dark purple 80 cm.
body and blue tail, male,
grey has milky body 45 cm.
and light blue tail female

StfUthioni Struthio camelus Ostrich Grey

formes

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 YASHODHAR MATHPAL : ROCK PAINTINGS OF INDIA : ORN ITHOGRAPH ICAL INTERPRETATION 93

IN INDIAN ROCK PAINTINGS

Colour in Style Rocksheiter Region Painting Ff. Bird reference

painting

White with red Naturalis Son Bhadra Pachmarhi Gordon, n.d. 35 Whistler, 1949:407-10
outline

Dark red Stylised Adamgarh Adamgarh Gupta, 1967:184-85, „

Plate-XXXVII-1

„ „ Kohbar Mirzapur Gupta, 1967:184-85, »«

Plate-XXXVII-2

Decorative Likhania-1 ,, „

„ Likhania-2 ., Ghosh, 1932-16

Plate-XVii-b

„ Ronp „ Gupta, 1967:120

Naturalistic Sagar Sagar Plate-XXXVI-1

White Decorative Imlikhoh Pachmarhi Gupta, 1967:184,

Plate-XXVI-4

Geometric Monte Roza „ Gupta, 1967:184

Plate-XXVT-3

Burnt umber Stylised Bhimbetka Bhimbetka Author, Painting

IIIF-24 No. 376

Dark Varmilion Realistic IIIC-43 No. 197

White IIIC-29 „ No. 162

Stylised 1VA-21 „ No. 450

., Naturalis Jambu Dwip Pachmarhi Gupta, 1967:493-94 Whistler, 1949:412-15

Plate-X-3

Dull orange Geometric IIIC-43 Bhimbetka No. 200

White Realistic IIIC-50 „ No. 215

Stylised IIIfc-20 No. 95

White Naturalistic Bazar cave Pachmarhi Gupta, 1967:206

Plate, XX

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