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Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

The Bhimbetka Rock Shelters are a series of natural rock shelters that are located in Raisen District, Madhya Pradesh. The attraction site is a popular archaeological site since it holds traces of early human existence. The site is popular among archaeology professionals and enthusiasts because it provides a lot of critical information that advances the knowledge base that they already have and also provides great insight into the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods.

Therefore, this article provides ten unbelievable facts about the rick shelters that will increase the readers’ knowledge about the historic periods.

1. The name Bhimbetka

The historic site has a history of where the name Bhimbetka came from. The name is believed that the name means Bhima’s resting place which is a word that was used one the second brother of the five Pandavas. Local legend believes that Bhima used to interact with the locals around the area when resting while he was in exile.

Therefore, this attraction site is of critical importance to the locals as it has a deeper meaning for them and it has connections to their traditions.

2. It contains the earliest traces of ancient human existence

The rock shelters in Bhimbetka contain traces of prehistoric human existence.  Archaeologists say that the caves were inhabited during the lower Palaeolithic period which is approximately 200,000 years ago. These facts are supported by the evidence collected and the ones found in the historical site.

Therefore, the discovery is important to archaeologists because it provides evidence of the existence and evolution of man and thus builds more on their theories and concepts on how man evolved from ape to man. This is because it is believed that evolution happened around this time.

3. The pictures in the caves

There are cave paintings inside the rock shelters that feature the existence of prehistoric life. These paintings are about 12,000 years old. Furthermore, the paintings are found at a height which shows that the early man was not tall. This backs up the evidence that was already found because archaeologists say that early man was around 5 feet tall. It is also presumed that the humans that lived in the rock shelters used stone steps to reach the high points where some paintings are located.

4. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The rock shelters located in the foothills Vindhyan Mountains are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The historic site was made a UNESCO site in 2003. The shelters were classified as heritage centre because it shows the interaction between people and the environment that they were living in through the art found in the caves.

Furthermore, the historic site was associated with the hunting and gathering economy which was a characteristic of the early man. The environment around the caves also has an excellent cultural landscape.

5. The colours used in the paintings

While exploring the caves one will notice that a variety of colours were used for the paintings by early men in the caves. Some places have colours like green, yellow, bright red and orange. During this time the colours were red and white.

According to archaeologists combining manganese, soft red stone, hematite, plant leaves and wooden coal created the colours that are featured in the paintings. Furthermore, these paintings were discovered during the prehistoric layers during excavations.

6. It has 600 caves

The rock shelter comprises 600 caves but only 15 of them have rock paintings. The caves were discovered in 1957 when an Archaeologist known as Dr Vishnu Wakankar was going to Nagpur through a train window. The rocks were similar to the ones that were being studied in Europe. The discovery of the caves was an important event in archaeological history as it signified that India also featured prehistoric existence.

7. Representation of the paintings

The cave paintings depict several activities and way of life that was practised by the early man. The variety makes a trip to these rock shelters interesting. As the early man had advanced cognitive abilities, the paintings on the caves reflected so. There are paintings of animals which are of different species. There are also paintings of 90 human figures to show that they expressed themselves using artistic drawings. Therefore, these paintings allow archaeologists and history lovers a glimpse into how the early man lived and the type of activities they practised. This makes for an interesting experience as one will be learning new things

8. The shelters have an entry fee

The shelter opens each day from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and it charges an entrance fee. The rates go at 25 rupees for Indians and 500 rupees for foreigners. These rates are for people who are not going in without a vehicle in that the historic site charges 100 rupees for two-wheelers and 300 rupees for cars. Therefore, one should be prepared with money while visiting the caves so that they are not denied access to the historic site

9. Preservation of the caves

When the paintings were first discovered in 1957, they were very bright and they could be seen. But as time went by and they were rained on, the paintings started to fade. Therefore, there is a study being conducted to ensure the preservation of historical paintings. This is critical because the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also an important archaeological place where more studies can be conducted.

10. There are vehicles for hire

For tourists who want to visit the historic site but do not have a means of transport, they can hire the private vehicles available in Bhopal which is 40 km away. The private vehicles provide for a comfortable drive because public transport is usually crowded. The hire vehicles are ideal as it allows the tourists to reach the site faster.