ROCK ART STUDIES : Concept, Methodology, Context, Documentation and Conservation Volume I

Edited by B.L.Malla

2014, pp.xxxii+424, ISBN- 978-81-7305-491-4, Rs. 5500

Rock Art is the first visual articulation and manifestation of humankind which emanates from his sense of sight. The proximity of this art and its affinity with the art of many living communities of the world today makes it all the more significant and valuable. It can be thus treated as a source of cultural communication between the pat, the present and the future. To celebrate what is undeniably one of the earliest forms of art, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) organized an international conference on rock art comprising of special lectures, artists workshops and exhibitions. This global event along with the participation of renowned scholars from all over the world was held at New Delhi from 6th December 2012 –23rd January 2013. The present volume(s) Rock Art Studies (Part I & II) are the proceedings of the conference. The two volumes contain selected articles representing rock art from all over the world. The first volume covers subject related to content, methodology, context, documentation, and conservation and management while the second volume contains papers related to the interpretation of rock art.

The articles in the present volume hold good promise in terms of recent trends in rock art research. The approach followed by some of the contributions is reconstructing the lifestyle and environment of the people who created this art. The vast spectrum of subjects/themes covered by these two highly illustrated volumes indicates the concern and seriousness of present day researchers for the study and conservation of rock art globally. Their main concern is exploring the ‘future of the past’ beyond the duty of discovering, protecting, and educating about archaeological treasures. As rock art is an intricate and complex domain covering material and cognitive aspects of culture, a multidisciplinary approach has been recommended by many contributors to decode and understand it in all its dimensions.

The beautifully illustrated volumes aim to boost and promote rock art research. They will not only interest scholars but also general readers at large and will certainly contribute to enhance our vision of rock art.