Hand Print was found in a rock shelter.
By
Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi
A few days ago, during my geological trip to the near by
hills in Ranchi city of Jharkhand
state of India ,
I had the opportunity to see rock art for the first time in the city. These
rock paintings were found on a hill some 5 kms North of Ranchi city. This hill
is composed of granite gneiss rocks. Earlier I saw such paintings far away from
the Ranchi city
in the villages or in remote areas during my field studies. Fascinated by the
detail of their making, I chose them as the subject with geology. Currently, as a researcher in Geology, I am
elaborating on this topic further by studying the engravings of such paintings
on the rocks of Ranchi Plateau. There are abstract of geometric symbols,
parallel lines, and fence-like patterns. Other symbols hand- and footprints,
dancing images etc. Most of the symbols were drawn with great care and were
obviously arranged with some purpose. So far it is it is impossible to decode
their meaning and cultural significance, but undoubtedly those symbols were
once blessed by magic and in the painter’s view therefore possessed
supernatural force.
In the hill few big hand prints were found in a rock shelter.
One was prominent and others have faded. It resembles to female hand. According
to local people these hand prints belongs to Goddess Durga.
Fig. Hand prints on the hill near Ranchi
Fig. Author on the hill with rock paintings.
Many experts have analyzed hand prints at caves in
Similar rock paintings have previously been found in the Beşparmak Mountains ,
Bafa Lake Beşparmak Mountains is a ridge of many spurs running in an
east-west direction along the north shore of the former Latmian
Gulf on the coast of Caria ,
which became part of Hellenised Ionia. The city of Latmus, located on the south
slopes of Mount Latmus 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of Miletus. Miletus was an ancient Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia .
Such similarity in hand prints gives a conclusion that the civilization
in both the areas might have been same.
Prehistoric painters used the pigments available in the
vicinity. These pigments were the so-called earth pigments, (minerals limonite
and hematite, red ochre, yellow ochre and umber), charcoal from the fire (carbon
black), burnt bones (bone black) and white from grounded calcite (lime white). Prehistoric
handprints span all continents and began appearing on rock walls around the
world at least 30,000 years ago.
Fig. Rock painting similar to geometrical lines.
Other rock art found near hand prints is like some geometrical lines with few parallel lines. It looks like an irregular-shaped net. Experts compare it with local Sohrai Art made by tribes of Jharkhand. But to me it looks like some ancient village map demarcating the boundaries or some language or some astronomical information which is still to be understood. These paintings are important in terms of world cultural heritage.
10,000 year-old-rock paintings was also found in Tangar
Basli block some 40 kms from the state capital Ranchi is now under threat. These rock
paintings resembles to rock paintings of rock art of Great Canyon Region.
Threat is from the stone quarrying due to which these
paintings have been exposed to the flying stone dust and open atmosphere. Most
of the paintings now have been faded. Drawings are made on granite and granite
gneiss rocks. In these paintings red ochre has been used. Dancing is the major
subject of all these paintings. We now
recognize that they did not simply live in caves and hunt animals. They also
participated in a full cultural lifestyle, social events with friends and
neighbors.
Fig. Rock paintings of Tangar Basli near Ranchi
Such rock art in Ranchi
and other parts of Jharkhand has the great similarity with little difference in
rock art of other countries. It seems that the single civilization was spread
all over the earth.
Geology of Ranchi Plateau provides enough cliff faces and
domes perfectly suitable to create rock-cut architecture. Granite, granite
gneiss and schist are widespread in Ranchi Plateau - these rocks can be tough
and time resistant, thus providing ideal basis for paintings. Shade of deep
cave and skilful protection from seeping water provide ideal protection from
elements.
All of these markings are referred to as "Rock
Art." People worldwide have been producing rock art for thousands of
years. Some of their messages, produced thousands of years ago, can still be
seen today. The oldest are usually found in rock shelters and caves where they
are protected from the elements. However, in arid climates some examples of
rock art have persisted for ten to fifteen thousand years, depending upon how
the art was produced, the direction that it faces and the type of rock used as
a "canvas."
Ancient petroglyphs do not have "signatures"
because they were produced before written words were invented. So, they cannot
be attributed to a specific person. However, petroglyphs can sometimes be
attributed to a specific group of people who inhabited or passed through the
area where the petroglyphs occur.
Now all these paintings in Ranchi and other parts in the district are
under threat due to natural weathering and interference of people.
Reference:
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