Layered Histories on Sstones: Thematic Shifts and Surface Reworking in Painted Rock Shelters of Madhya Pradesh

Sudeshna Biswas* and Manoj Kumar Singh

Rock art has traditionally been classified within broad stylistic and chronological frameworks and is often positioned as a static relic from the distant prehistoric past. Such approaches tend to treat painted shelters as decontextualised cultural expressions rather than as surfaces shaped by repeated and evolving engagements over time. This paper addresses whether thematic and stylistic variations within a single rock shelter can be understood as evidence of internal historical processes rather than as isolated stylistic phases. It focuses on a site of open, painted rock shelters in the Vindhyan region of western Madhya Pradesh, where repeated superimposition and thematic variation are clearly visible. The sequence of paintings points to changing concerns and uses of the surface across different phases. Instead of viewing the panel as a fixed composition, it is approached as a layered surface formed through continued acts of painting and reworking. Documentation shows multiple stages of painting, with shifts in motifs and composition. The early stages emphasise animal figures and large shapes, whereas the later stages include lively human scenes and varied arrangements. These differences reflect a visual dialogue and historical consciousness expressed through images, not just based on evolving styles. Ethnographic engagement with the Gonds and Banjaras serves as a methodological lens for understanding how rock surfaces are remembered, reappraised, and socially engaged today. Focusing on material sequencing at a single site, this study can contribute to broader discussions of rock art as a historical discourse, emphasising markmaking and surface reengagement as expressions of non-scriptural historicity.