Preliminary results of the EIP Project

The primary rationale of the Early Indian Petroglyphs Project is to investigate claims of the occurrence of Lower Palaeolithic petroglyphs in central regions of India. Other purposes of this multifacetted research project are to provide new data for the chronology of the Middle and Late Pleistocene hominin history of India; to introduce scientific methods of rock art dating in this country; and to investigate its Lower Palaeolithic stone tool industries. This project, a collaboration of Indian and Australian researchers, was commenced in 2001. It involves archaeological excavations, a range of analytical studies and intensive field surveys, and it will continue for several more years. Since its findings are of considerable significance it would not be appropriate to defer the publication of all details until after its completion. The present paper is a detailed progress report of this work, offering an overview of its theoretical base and presenting its first tangible results. They indicate that Lower Palaeolithic petroglyphs have been located at two sites, and may exist at a few others not yet adequately investigated. These initial results also provide the first datings of Indian rock art, secured from many sites of petroglyphs and pictograms in various parts of central India.