Bhimbhetka Caves and Rock Shelters

The Rock Shelters of Bhimbhetka are in the foothills of the Vindhya Mountains. Within massive sandstone outcrops, above comparatively dense forest, are five clusters of natural rock shelters, displaying paintings that appear to date from the Mesolithic Period right through to the historical period.

The outcrop with painted rock shelters rises 100m above the surrounding plains. The hillocks are formed of sandstone of the Vindhya super group, one of the oldest geological formations. These sedimentary rocks have been differentially morphed and turned into ortho-quartzite.

The outcrops with painted rock shelters run east-west for about 8km. Its eastern and southern slopes are very steep while the northern and western are gentle. The hill is topped by a chain of dissected vertical tors rising up to 20m high. These are the eroded remnants of a formerly continuous rock mass. The site has more than 700 rock shelters, of which over 400 have paintings.

Bhimbetka is closely associated with a hunting and gathering economy as demonstrated in the rock art. The paintings are mainly executed in red and white with occasional use of green and yellow with themes taken from the everyday events of that age. These paintings cover the period from the lower Paleo-lithic times up to the medieval period.

the Auditorium Rock Shelter, Zoo Rock and Boar Rock in Bhimbetka Cluster. The Auditorium Rock Shelterfeatures a cluster of paintings depicting a hunter, deer, tiger, cattle, and a stylised peacock.

The Zoo Rock Shelter is the most densely painted rock shelter, with paintings spanning from the Mesolithic to the Mediaeval. The paintings here include a boar painted in dark red, animals like elephant, rhinoceros, boar, barasingha, spotted deer and cattle and snake. Later paintings include battle scenes painted in red and an elephant painted in white.

The Boar Rock, which is the last among the rock shelters accessible by tourists has a depiction of a mythical boar with horns. The boar depicted is many times larger than the human being chased by it.