Madhya Pradesh: 10,000-year-old rock painting found in Satpura Tiger Reserve

During the counting of wild animals in the Satpura Tiger Reserve, the forest officials discovered a rock painting dating back 10,000 years.

Bhopal: In a key archaeological finding, the forest department of Satpura Tiger Reserve has hit upon a rock painting dating back 10,000 years in Madhya Pradesh's Narmadapuram. According to officials, the department stumbled upon the painting as it was engaged in surveying the number of wild animals in the Reserve. During the counting, the forest guards discovered the rock painting on a hill in Churna.

The painting shows the humans of that era. The picture includes a procession of primitive humans with weapons in their hands. Apart from this, a giraffe-like figure is also visible along with wild animals in some rock paintings.

According to senior officials of the Tiger Reserve, there are more than 100 rock paintings in the area, but due to it being a Tiger Zone, access to the caves where rock paintings are found is very rare. However, after the latest rock painting on Churna Hill, it seems that many more pages of history will be turned, he added.

According to Dr Hansa Vyas, professor and lecturer of history, Churna is a historical archaeological site where a rich series of archaeological rock paintings are present. "If we include the SDR Pachmarhi and Narmadapuram areas, there are 110 centres where many rock paintings are found," he said.

Most of the prehistoric rock paintings depict hunting. They are seen dancing while hunting for food, which resembles the tribals. The prehistoric period is considered to be 10,000 years old.​