MP: Spanish team to study rock art in Kathotiya

A nine-member Spanish team is in Bhopal to study rock art at Kathotiya in the outskirts of Bhopal, where prehistoric paintings dating to 10,000 to 15000 years old have been found in over 65 rock shelters.

Published on: Feb 21, 2016, 22:14:43 IST

Hindustan Times | By Neeraj Santoshi, Bhopal

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A nine-member Spanish team is in Bhopal to study rock art at Kathotiya in the outskirts of Bhopal, where prehistoric paintings dating to 10,000 to 15000 years old have been found in over 65 rock shelters. The team of rock art experts from Spain’s Centre de Estudies Contesantas, went to Kathotiya on Sunday, accompanied by noted archeologist Dr Narayan Vyas.

Vyas said the team wants to date, study colours and undertake some excavation work at Kathotiya rock art site, which was discovered by late Prof Shankar Tiwari from Hamidia College Bhopal in 1975.

“Spanish study of the rock art at Kathotiya can turn to be milestone in the rock art research art in India. This time, they are conducting a survey by photographing, taking notes, making sketches of the rock art here. After this, they will prepare a report on Kathotiya and apply for permission with the Archeological Survey of India before July, to date the rock art at Kathotiya, study the colour pigments used and also do excavations at the site,” he said.

“I am helping the Spanish team to study rock art at Kathotiya as I have done my post-doctoral research work on comparative study of rock paintings of Raisen district, with special emphasis on Bhimbetka. The team from Spain includes Pere Ferrer, Jose Elias, Amparo, Vargiana, Mouro, Jordi Ferrar, Rafel and so on. The team is here since February 16 and will leave for Spain on Tuesday, “ said Vyas, who retired as superintendent archaeologist in 2009.

Last year, Vyas spent two weeks in Spain, discussing rock art of Madhya Pradesh and comparing it the with some of the rock art sites in that country.

The Spanish team also interacted with the Bhopal Walk team led by Anil Gulati at Kathotiya. Bhopal Walk, a group which started as a Twitter handle, organises nature and heritage walks every Sunday in and around Bhopal.

“Our team was also in Kathotiya today. We interacted with the Spanish team there. They spoke about the importance of the rock art heritage from the perspective of archaeology and stressed on their protection. They also told us about the difference in the rock art of the two countries. They said in Spain, rock art is are mainly in black and red colour while in Madhya Pradesh, it is in white, red and green”, said Anil Gulati.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

Home/Cities/Bhopal News/MP: Spanish Team To Study Rock Art In Kathotiya