Prehistoric Rock Art Under Threat

(I have excerpted this article, by Shobha Menon, from Madras Musings, a small paper which tries to create awareness of the value of Chennai's heritage.)

Over 50 sites in the State that are a treasure trove of prehistoric rock art are under constant threat from elements that are more human than natural. Not many appear to care for world prehistory wherever granite is available for quarrying. One of the newest finds that deserves immediate protective action is in Karikkiyur, near Erode, where an over 1800 sq.ft. rock canvas, covered with more than 500 intricate prehistoric images of men, animals and their various activities, was discovered a few months ago. Dated to about, 2000 B.C., the pre-megalithic period, it has been described by experts as 'breathtaking in its sheer immensity and detail', and 'part of an international heritage'.

Cave paintings in Pori Varai, Erode District

India has one of the largest concentrations of rock art in the world (South Africa and Australia being the other major areas) and Tamil Nadu has the distinction of having the most concentration of rock paintings in the country, outside the 200 caves in Bimbetka in Madhya Pradesh. But while Bimbetka is a UNESCO world heritage nominated site, those in Tamil Nadu are either neglected or threatened ...

The first discovery of prehistoric paintings -- in white pigment and ascribed to the megalithic age -- was made in Tamil Nadu ... 1980, on a rock in Mallapadi in Dharmapuri District (which also has the largest concentration of rock paintings in the State). Of the 50 or so rock-cut paintings discovered, only five have been declared protected sites where the paintings have been covered with a thin polyvinyl acetylene film, ... and the area has been fenced ... by the State Department of Archaeology. ... Prof. Chandrasekaran of the Fine Arts College, Chennai, and an expert on rock art, says, "Dating prehistoric sites is rather difficult ... But the ones we've come upon in Settavarai, Keelvalai and Karikkiyur can definitely be ascribed to at least around 1000 B.C. Most of the rock paintings discovered contain overlapping images, painted by different artists in different periods of time. The paintings are generally found in what were wayside resting places or permanent rock shelters with a water source nearby...