With reference to the Pre-historic Paintings of ancient India, consider the following statements: 1. In the paintings of the Upper Palaeolithic phase, the green paintings are of hunters and the red ones of dancers. 2. During the Mesolithic phase, the paintings are smaller in size. 3. In Mesolithic phase, though animals were painted in a stylistic style, humans were depicted only in a naturalistic manner. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Option 3 : 2 only

The correct answer is 2 only.

• Prehistoric paintings have been found in many parts of the world.
• In India, the earliest paintings have been reported from the Upper Palaeolithic times.
• There are three major phases of pre-historic paintings:
  • Period I, Upper Palaeolithic;
  • Period II, Mesolithic;
  • and Period III, Chalcolithic.

• Mesolithic Period
  • ​The largest number of paintings belong to Period II that covers the Mesolithic paintings.
  • During this period the themes multiply but the paintings are smaller in size. Hunting scenes predominate. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
  • Mesolithic artists loved to paint animals.
  • Though animals were painted in a naturalistic style, humans were depicted only in a stylistic manner. Hence, Statement 3 is NOT correct.
  • The young and the old equally find a place in these paintings.
  • Children are painted running, jumping and playing.
  • Community dances provide a common theme.

• Chalcolithic Period
  • ​Period III covers the Chalcolithic period.
  • The paintings of this period reveal the association, contact, and mutual exchange of requirements of the cave dwellers of this area with settled agricultural communities of the Malwa plains.
  • The vividness and vitality of the earlier periods disappear from these paintings.