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Rock art gallery at Museum soon
THE BIGGEST rock art gallery in India is gradually taking shape at the Allahabad Museum. The gallery will showcase the rock art belonging to pre-paleolithic period to mesolithic period.
THE BIGGEST rock art gallery in India is gradually taking shape at the Allahabad Museum. The gallery will showcase the rock art belonging to pre-paleolithic period to mesolithic period.
According Prof RK Verma, chairman of the museum, altogether 60 to 65 enlarged photographs would be displayed in the gallery with their complete descriptions.
Stereography or the history of rock art study in India will also be displayed.
"I have been working on the subject since 1959 and after being positioned as the director of the museum, I actually got an opportunity to display this intensive research work. Most of the detailing in setting up the gallery has been done by the museum staff," added Prof Verma.
The excavation of the rock art in various archaeological sites was done by a group of three experts comprising Prof RK Verma, DA Vankhede and Dr Ajay Kumar Mishra, curatorial associate.
According to Dr Mishra, rock art was found in almost 15 places including Murahana, Sohagi, Sonebhadra, Rewa, Lekhunia, Mukhadri and Bhaisor to name a few. "From Sihawal, we excavated the jaw of an elephant. Likewise, we have also come across several other fossils which will be displayed in the gallery.
There are typical features of rock art which distinguishes one from the other period.
During mesolithic period, more stress was laid on drawing human figures hunting wild animals. Chalcolithic period dealt with the drawings of raising the animals and the frequently appearing animals in such drawings were horses, pigs and oxes. Meanwhile the period beyond concentrated on the drawings of processions," said Dr Mishra.
After displaying the photographs, there are also plans to project the dioramas.
"Constructing the dioramas involves lots of expertise and technical know-how since it is a specialised work. So we are inviting the agencies from outside to do the work.
The experts belong to Kolkata and they are associated with Indian Museum, Kolkata. They have already shown their talent in GB Pant Social Science Institute, Jhunsi in the Ganga Valley gallery," said Prof Verma.
Brochures, both in English and Hindi are being published for distribution to the visitors.
"The preliminary work has been completed and we are sure to come up with this unique gallery within a week," he added.
