Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

INDIA, Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal

The Bhimbetka Rock Shelters are located 45 km from Bhopal, in the foothills of the Vindhya Range. They are scattered within an area 10 km in length and 3 km in width. The local people regarded the rock shelters primarily as a Buddhist site. But in 1957, archaeologist V. S. Wakankar discovered a prehistoric mural estimated to be at least 30,000 years old. The site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.
The rock shelters are located in a densely forested area. The site includes 5 cave groups and to date a total of 700 rock shelters and 400 cave paintings have been identified in the area. Research into the styles and methods of painting have established seven distinct stages into which the majority of the images fall under, the earliest beginning 12,000 years ago in the Mesolithic period. The Buddhist art found here, with portrayals of religious life and various Buddhist symbols, appeared during the 5th stage, with inscriptions dating from the Mauryan (circa 321–185 BCE) to the Sunga (circa 185– 73 BCE) periods. Stupas built during this period can still be found at the site.