a note on the ‘kushana’ paintings in the rock...

Man In India, 91 (2) : 303-336 © Serials Publications

Address for communication: Erwin Neumayer, Vienna, Austria, E-mail: [email protected]

A NOTE ON THE ‘KUSHANA’ PAINTINGS INTHE ROCK ART OF MALWA

Erwin Neumayer

A particular style of historical rock art labelled as ‘Kushana’ paintings occurring in the Malwaregion of Central India is discussed in this paper. These paintings show certain Central Asiantraits. The aim of this paper is to present these rock art pictures to a wider audience, and to findanalogies from literary or other sources for better identification.

Keywords: Kushana, rock paintings, Malwa, India.

I do not recall who labelled a particular style of historical rock art as ‘Kushana’paintings first. But I recall that in the early 1970s V.S. Wakankar and I used thisterm on a group of historical rock paintings, encountered so frequently in the Raisen-Sehore region, which we thought had strong Central Asian traits. The most obvious‘foreign’ subject in these paintings is the long caftan-like coats and the peculiar‘cap-like’ hats, worn by the persons shown in the pictures, which recalled the feltcaps shown in Kushana reliefs (Brooks and Wakankar 1976:47; Neumayer1983:137, 1993:211-24; Pandey; 1993:185, Figs. 67-8).

The chronological position of these paintings is quite secure with one engravedAshokan Brahmi inscription, over-painted by a ‘Kushana’ picture, forming theearlier end of the chronological scale, and at least one ‘Kushana-painting’ with anaccompanying Gupta Brahmi inscription from the Mukhandwara Hills in northernMalwa (Figs. 40, 40A). In absolute chronological terms these pictures are to beplaced within the first century AD. What makes these paintings outstanding fromthe mass of other historical rock art, is the detailed description of animals andequipment and above all the detailed narrative organization of ‘camp-scenes.’ Whenanalyzing the social and thematic content of the compositions it becomes clearthat we are dealing with the work of people of a lifestyle best described as nomadiccattle breeders. Paintings of large brahmani bulls and herds of cows are the mostrepetitive theme. This in itself would not be so very much different from the earlier-Chalcolithic or early historic rock pictures. But these pictures give very minutedetails of the technological features of weapons, clothes and adornments, as wellas other narrative details in large compositions, which frequently run over severalsquare metres of rock surface in caves or on cliff walls. These large panels showfighters on horseback armed uniformly with swords, spears and spiked lashes, aweapon not found in any other antiquarian context. The style of depicting animalsis most vivid and recalls the liveliness of the Mesolithic pictures for which someisolated animal figures can easily be mistaken. Especially, the portrayal of horses

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can go as some of the finest animal depictions in Indian rock art. But not only aredomestic animals shown, wild species as well are painted in much detail based oncareful observation. It seems that quite a few of these animal-pictures celebrate thebeauty and elegance of certain birds and other animals, comparable to the rhythmicand repetitiveness of animals on ceramics vessels. Hunting of boar and deer is anoften-repeated theme, and the central animal figure often shows elaborate designsover its body. An outstanding feature is depictions of ‘camp-scenes’ in a uniformand rather stereotyped setting (Figs. 13-24). A single or double oval line/s withone opening demarcates an enclosure with only one entrance. What exactly itdenotes is difficult to say; it could be the area of a shelter, a tent or an open-fenced-enclosure. These areas are furnished with one or several stretched-out cow or deer-hides, sometimes accompanied by square or circular seat-carpets. Besides the hides,is a tree with leafless branches. On these branches square ‘parcels,’ a bow and abundle of arrows are hung. Frequently a person is sitting inside this enclosure,while a second armed-person is standing just outside the ‘entrance’ as if postedthere as a guard. The persons are seated on a four-legged chair, which probablyindicates their elevated rank. This seating arrangement in itself is already a veryrare scene in the rock art of the Vindhya Hills, but it occurs several times in thethematically related pictures in the Mahadeo Hills.

The rare, nonetheless stereotype repetition of such a scene makes it probablethat we see here a ceremonial space rather than an everyday scene. “Chieftainenthroned” is shown several times in the Sunga reliefs at the toranas at Sanchi,although the chair-like seat is not present there, it is known from the contemporarynorthwest Indian sources, and during the Kushana time from Lucknow (Hallade1968:204) and other places.

Analyzing these paintings we understand that there are some re-occurringparaphernalia. The most common are the stretched out spotted hide, the decoratedlong-bow, the bundle of arrows, a vessel and the tree with “parcels.”

One of the most detailed depictions of such an enclosure shows in great detaila number of other implements. Here again a person is shown sitting on a chair witha woman attending on him (Fig.15). A comb is drawn near the hand. In back of theenthroned person is the long-bow decorated with the long tassels and a container.At his back is a spotted hide and above that are several gaming boards, pots withnarrow openings and a sword encased in an encircling line, which probably indicateda sheath. A compartmented square with a handle (?) lays besides what I take as agaming board with six divisions, numbered with “eyes.” A number of further squaresand implements cannot be recognized.

Close to the “entrance” inside the encircling line is the figure of a largecarnivorous animal, possibly a panther or other big cat or large dog. The “entrance”is barred by a line across.

In one other painting the “enclosure” is shown so small that only a person fitsinto it (Fig. 17), the entrance is barred by a guard who is twice the size of the

A NOTE ON THE ‘KUSHANA’ PAINTINGS IN THE ROCK ART... 305

entrance. The adjacent depiction has a group of people including three harpists,and a group of women (?) dancing.

The most enigmatic, often recurring figure in these paintings is the stretchedout spotted hides, which take a prominent position (Figs. 1, 13-23). The enthronedperson is always sitting besides the cowhide on a chair with the paraphernalia suchas a long-bow, bundle of arrows and a tree with “parcels” behind. At one instancethe enclosure holds several spotted skins, the bow and the arrows.

The hide has to be taken as a symbol of higher grade in hierarchy or as astandard for the elevated rank or sacral status. If we accept that, the size relationbetween hide and the persons shown underlies a hierarchic relationship rather thena “naturalistic” size relation, cow hide, bundled arrows and long-bow togetherwith the decorated tree are the other paraphernalia indicating the hierarchic orsacral status of the persons nearby (Figs. 1, 13-23).

As with all rock art interpretation there is no test to understand where it goeswrong. But we have here a set-scenery that occurs in variations at several rock artsites. We are aware, that we see a picture, an ideological product, for which wehave a fairly clear chronological position. This is rare enough in rock art research.As usual we have little chance of asking the producer of the pictures what they hadintended to show. And as the reliefs from the toranas of Sanchi Stupa wereunderstood as narrating stories from the jatakas, these “Kushana” pictures similarlyfollow a strict system or narrative movement. Rock art research must try tohypothesize on such re-occurring picture elements, to possibly find analogies inother media as well.

In this case we already know a lot: These ideograms derive from the beginningof the historical period, for which several reliable literary sources are available.The aim of this paper is to present these rock art pictures to a wider audience tofind analogies from literary or other sources for better identification.

My own interpretation of these scenes led me to believe that they are memorialpaintings of a burial ceremony, where the enthroned personality denotes the deadperson, and the spotted hides are symbols of the animals slaughtered in honour ofthe departed. The demarcated space, therefore, would indicate the space where thedead is placed with all paraphernalia needed for the next world. Indeed, the ovalshape of the space is iconographically very close to the depictions of burrows andcaves as used in rock art since the Mesolithic period (Neumayer 1993:Pl.: 146,153ff). Underground burrows and caves are also shown in historical rock art; thereare pictures of porcupine and pangolin in their underground burrows. These picturesas well belong to the “Kushana pictures” (Figs. 11). The closeness between asubterraneous burrow and the demarcated spaces might not be incidental. Thisinterpretation is suggested particularly by one painting (Figs. 17) where thedemarcated space in which a person is seen reclining is so small that he is showncrouched, and the stretched out spotted animal-skin is placed in a second enclosure,

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while three harpists and women doing a chain dance are positioned outside. In oneother instance, multitudes of things are depicted inside the demarcated space inmuch detail (Figs. 15). Surrounding the person are several gaming boards, vesselsof different shapes obviously with some content, a sword or rapier in a sheath.Interesting are the gaming boards, which are drawn detailed enough to see sixsquares with different numbers indicated. The enthroned person is attended by awoman. “Chief” enthroned with female attendance is a theme also known fromrock pictures in the Mahadeo Hills (Neumayer 1993: 637-9). Another painting(Figs. 22) shows a lute (?) and an array of other unidentifiable implements.Interesting in this painting is the depicting of a chopped off head of a bovineanimal placed in front of the enclosure. The “tree with parcels” which is shown inseveral of the “Kushana” paintings brings to mind the wish-fulfilling tree(Figs..: 1, 13, 14, 16). The iconography of the apparel or jewel bearing trees is wellknown from the early historic reliefs in Barhut, Sanchi and so many of the otherearly Buddhist sites. Indeed, trees are frequently shown in the “Kushana pictures.”Often these trees are shown with parcels bound to their branches, very much likethe still commonly practiced custom to put wishes in form of wishing stones orsome other symbols into bundles to bind them on to aerial roots or branches oftrees. Trees are often the centre in paintings showing armed men arrayed neartrees and brandishing their weapons. Other tree-scenes show obviously mythologicalsceneries, men and women walking on branches. Trees are also the dwelling placesof many animals and birds shown roosting on every branch. Fruit bats hangingupside down from a tree is one of this unique scenes. Some further pictures showstrong shamanistic traits with armed persons standing in the branches of trees asalmost floating in midair. Interpreting all this we have to come back to theunderstanding, that what we see is an ideological construct. The reality behindmight be just the sort of phantasmal-reality we accept as religious or ideologicalconstruct. It is quite telling that at a place near the site of Satkunda, one of the coreregions from where many “Kushana pictures” are found, also many cave sanctuariesand Buddhist stupa sites exist. But more relevant appears a megalithic burial groundwith several stone cists. Such cists with portholes at the small end are ratheruncommon in Malwa. Although the “Kushana” paintings are not “classical painting”in the sense we use it for the “classical art” of let us say Ajanta. The term “classical”is applied much too narrow on paintings, which have survived in the shelteredsituation of man-made caves in courtly or monastic surroundings. But what weactually see in these “Kushana rock pictures” is possibly the popular edition ofwhat brought forth these “classical arts.” That this art existed in a situation of giveand take with “classical art” proper is clear from several instances of “foreign”elements. One of these imported elements is the use of chairs as a “pedestal” ofelevation. Chairs or thrones are very rare in rock pictures. Within the many ten-thousands of rock pictures in India, only a few figures seated on chairs were found.


Most of these figures belong to the “Kushana pictures” of eastern Malwa (Figs. 1,14 and16). Other rock art region where such paintings of enthroned persons arefound is in the Mahadeo Hills of the Satpura Mountains (Neumayer 1993: 234-9).In the pictures there chairs are shown as seats for persons of an elevated status,mostly for men, but in a few instances also for women. The more profane seatingarrangement in these pictures are low-seats, possibly just boards on which womensit in the kitchen or in other profane camp-scenes.

Prehistoric rock art does not show seats, save a single chariot related processionscene, where several outstanding persons are shown with small seats between theirlegs. Probably this also denotes an elevated rank (Neumayer 1993: 165).

Another telling element of social elevation is the use of the umbrella asparaphernalia of honour (Figs. 2), which also occurs mostly in “Kushana pictures.”But the first instance of an umbrella of honour might come from a singular pictureof the two hero gods, viz., Vasudeva and Baladeva (Krishna and Balaram), thecentral deities of the of the Bhagavata religion. This picture comes from Tikula, asite in the Gwalior District of M.P. (Neumayer 1993: 203-5). The painting is welldated by an accompanying Brahmi inscription of the 1st or 2nd century BC(Neumayer 1992/93:53-60). Other paraphernalia occurring in “Kushana art” arestandards and flags that are carried by attendants to horse-rider (Figs.40, 40A, 41).

At a site in the Bund Hills, attendants on camels carry fish-standard and flag(Figs. 40-40A). The centres of this picture group are persons on horsebacksurrounded by a multitude of smaller attendants, hunters and dogs. A Gupta Brahmiinscription allows the dating of the composition into the 2nd or 3rd century AD.

The “Kushana” paintings are at their best in the depictions of horsemen(Figs. 26-45). Long processions of heavily armed horsemen are some of the mostcommon themes in the rock art of the Malwa region. The technological detailsfrom these paintings give a good idea of the military might and equipment of theseriders. The armoury consists of long sword, spears, and in some instances of adouble lash with metal blades at the end. Bow and arrow are shown regularly asweapons of horsemen, but in no instance are the riders shown shooting their bowbackward during the ride, a feature that is so common in the Central Asian and theChinese paintings. There are clear indications of protective armoury, possiblypadded aprons and kaftans (Fig. 37) and protective helmets. The stirrup is notverified in the pictures, in most cases only the upper part of the body is shownsitting in a padded (?) saddle, other depictions show both legs on the visible side,the convention of twisted perspective (Figs. 33-34). Warriors seated on war-elephants are also common in these paintings (Figs. 030-031). Strangely, chariotsare absent altogether, save may be one or two bullock-carts that could be identifiedas “Kushana pictures.’ The lightweight war chariot or raths are absent in the pictures.This is quite surprising considering the many depictions of small chariots in theBuddhist reliefs of that time. But it is my observation that chariot and wheeled

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transport occur almost exclusively in Chalcolithic pictures only (Neumayer 1991:39-70).

There are several instances of narrative compositions, which indicate locales inform of landscape markers. One composition from the Bundi Hills shows a scene onthe bank of a river. The river is indicated as a double line from where women areseen fetching water with pots. The “story” shows women fetching water, bendingforward over their pots and being sexually assaulted by men (Figs. 45-46). One heroon horseback obviously saves the women. The riverbank as landscape is notuncommon in other pictograms of that time as well; the punch marked coins fromVidisha show frequently the Betravati (?) river as a wavy band with fish in it.

The Kushana paintings come from a time when Malwa was since long one ofthe core regions of imperial powers in Western Central India. Ujjaini and Bilsa wereurban centres of long standing. Ujjain was the seat of the Viceroy during the MauryanEmpire. Emperor Asoka, ruled from here when he was a prince (rajkumar). Vidisha,the ancient Bhilsa was a regional capital of considerable strategic and economicimportance since the Mauryan period. The famous sanctuaries of Sanchi and Udayagiriflourished under the patronage of urban bankers and traders, having worldwide tradeconnections during that time. The political and cultural importance of the region inlater periods is similarly well documented by the early historic remains.

Here as in many other places, rock pictures cannot be so easily brought underan art historical regime. Pictures—not only rock pictures—will always retain ahighly enigmatic sphere, more so as long as we do not know the socio/culturalmoorings. The more we know about these, the more we can “see.”

The rock art often seems to be the casual product of the artist, executed in aneasily to accomplish medium which is not as constrained as the chiselling of reliefsin stone or wood would be. The large narrative “Kushana” compositions are oftenexecuted quite “epic,” stretching over several metres of rock walls (Fig.41). Ofcourse mostly parts of such large works have remained. But in trying to put togetherthese puzzles from different sites and locations allows seeing the spectrum of distinctnarrative patterns nonetheless.

This picture shows the life of nomadic cattle breeders, with a highly developedmartial technology. Horse breeding and horsemanship might have been theirspecialization. Since “horse-handlers” came along with their horses as long as thistrade existed in India. And by the time the “Kushana pictures” were executed, agood one thousand years of horsemanship had passed. Indeed, the Kushana picturesshow the finest horse-depictions in Indian rock art, but they are not the earliestpictures of that theme. Already in late Chalcolithic paintings horse riding occurs,but rarely. More often we find pictures of lightweight war chariots, being drawnby horses (?) and cattle.

It is very probable that the “Kushana pictures” are the art of herdsmen andagriculturists, who carried on a traditional life-style as semi-nomadic cattle and


horse breeders. They might have had their tribal affiliation and martial technologyand customs, which derived from an ancestral homeland in Northwest India oreven from beyond. This would account for the Central Asian dress patterns and forthe riding-equipment shown so vividly in the rock pictures. It is more than likelythat they belonged to the organized military set up of the region, filling the ranksof the cavalry. The pattern would be that the clans would maintain and man thecavalry and other sections of the army, besides raising horses and herding cattle.In this case they would control pastures and agricultural lands to their requirement.In their own land they would have their own clan chiefs and “kings,” who maintainedtheir own aristocratic life-style, which is expressed in several of these pictures.The presence of elephants shows the royal power, standards carried by attendantswith umbrellas of honour would stand for the pomp and horse-riding and huntingwith hounds were definitely an elite entertainment, while cockfights might havebeen a more popular pastime.

This virtual independence allowed them to retain for a long time their traditionalcustoms and cultural expressions, one of which might have been the introductionof their own style of painting into the age-old tradition of decorating the numerouscaves and rock shelters in that region, where since many millennia rock picturesexisted. Some of these trait were at that times of the 1st century AD indeed very“exotic,” so far example depictions of masks (Figs.47-48), a feature which weknow from the rock art in the Karakorum and Tibet (Jettmar1984:12), but whichseems perfectly out of place in the Vindhya Hills of Malwa.

The paintings, probably, allow us glimpses into the mythology of martialherdsmen who came into the Vindhya region first as horse handlers during theMauryan and Shaka period, to form the military elite and possibly later a militaryaristocracy. Howsoever, they left us with thousands of the most vibrant examplesof ancient paintings in the rock shelters of the Vindhya Hills of Malwa.

References

Brooks, R. R. and Wakankar, V. S. (1976). Stone Age Paintings in India, Yale.

Hallade, Madeleine. (1968). Indien, Gandhara, Begegnungenzwischen Orient und Okzident;Office duLivre, Fribourg.

Jettmar, K. (1984). Rock Carvings and Inscriptions in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Islamabad,Institute for Folk Heritage.

Neumayer E. (1983). Prehistoric Indian Rock Paintings, Oxford University Press.

Neumayer. E. (1991). Wheeled vehicles and Mounted Animals in Prehistoric Indian Rock Art,Man and Environment 16 (2): 39-70, Poona.

Neumayer, E. (1993). Lines on Stone. New Delhi, Manohar.

Neumayer, E. (1992/93). On the Identification of Bhakti-Deities in Rock Pictures, Puratattva23: 53-60, New Delhi.

Pandey, S. K. (1993). Indian Rock Art. New Delhi, Aryan Books International.

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Figure 1: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Height of the enthroned person 10 cm A man shown sitting on achair in front of a stretched-out hide. Besides him stands a tree with parcels hanging fromthe branches. Fastened to the branches is also a bundle of arrows and a long bow. Belowthis is one more person sitting with a long bow and a bundle of arrows in his hand. Bowand headdress of the person are decorated with long tassels.


Figure 2: Kharwai B13; Historic; White; Height 18 cm Man with umbrella.

Figure 3: Jaora; Historic; White only the contour line of the hump and the designs inside the hump inred; Length 50 cm Humped Bull

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Figure 4: Firengi; Historic; Red drawing on white foundation; Length 30 cm Humped Bull

Figure 5: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Length of the bull 20 cm Humped bull and Man


Figure 6: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Length of the left animal 35 cm Three gazelles. One of the animalsis shown pregnant.

Figure 7: Narsinghgarh-HinglajMata; Historic; Red; Length of the right animal 30 cm Two humpedbulls

Figure 8: Satkunda; Historic; The boar is painted white, the hunter is partly white with red contourlines; Height of the hunter 20 cm Hunter with a long bow and a bundle of arrows before adead (?) boar. The long frock like dress seems to be here that of a man (?)

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Figure 9: Satkunda; Historic (Kushana style); Red; Height of the birds 20 cm One long billed bird, apeacock and a peahen.

Figure 10: Jaora; Historic; Red; Height of the right bird 25 cm. Two Cranes


Figure 11: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Length of the animal 25 cm. Porcupine in its burrow

Figure 12: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Height of the antelope 10 cm. Hunter with a long bow aims hisarrow against an antelope

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Figure 13: Kharwai; Historic; White; Length of the bovid 70 cm. (See also H 0032) Within an encirclingline are several stretched out animal skins (?) a long bow and a bundle of arrows. Slightlyoutside the defined place is a tree with parcels hanging from its branches. The bovid isclearly indicated as cow by its udder. The body design on the animal is typical of theKushana-style.

Figure 14: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Height of the enthroned person 8 cm A man with a bow in hishand is sitting on a throne before a stretched out hide and a tree with parcels on its branches.A second person with a caftan like frock is standing before him. The whole scene is encircledby a double lines leaving an opening before the seated person.


Figure 15: Satkunda-Mahadeopani; Historic; Painting in white and red; Length 60 cm An enthronedperson with a female attendant. Besides him are the long bow, several vessels, a comb (?),a spotted cowhide, a game board, an encased sword, a number of unidentified implements,and the body (?) of a tiger. The whole scene is encircled by a boundary line with an openingbefore the tiger, where it is closed with a straight line probably denoting a barrier or gateway.

Figure 16: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Height of the enthroned person 10 cm An enthroned man beforea stretched out cow (?) hide, a long bow and a tree with parcels and a bundle of arrowshanging on its branches. Before him stands a man holding a shield in one hand and a stakewith decorations at its end and on the shaft in his other. The whole scene is encircled witha double line except in front of the seated person.

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Figure 17: Satkunda-Mahadeopani; Historic; Painting in white with a few red lines; Height of theright figure 10 cm A procession of dancing women before three harp players. Besides thisare two persons with sticks in their hands, possibly dancers with rhythmsticks. Above thisscene are two encircled spaces enclosing in one case a cattle skin (?) in the other the figure(body?) of a man. Before this is the depiction of a cow.

Figure 18: Kharwai; Historic; White; Height of the painting 50 cm A stretched out spotted hide insidein an encircling line.


Figure 19: Satkunda-Mahadeopani; Historic; White; Height of the skin 22 cm A stretched out spottedhide inside an encircling line.

Figure 20: Satkunda-Mahadeopani; Historic; White; Height of the right skin 20 cm. Two stretchedout spotted hide inside an encircling double line.

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Figure 21: KharwaiB 9; Historic; Red; Height of the right man 30 cm. Two man with long bows andarrows in their hands and a hide in between them.

Figure 22: Firengi; Historic; Red; Height of the instrument 6 cm. Within a partly preserved encirclingline is a lute like instrument and an arrow (?) besides a number of unidentified objects.Outside the boundary line is a head of a bovid.


Figure 23: Satkunda-Mahadeopani; Historic; White; Height of the skin 27 cm. A stretched out hide, aperson with a bundle of sticks on the head, a bundle of arrows and a vessel inside anencircling line. The picture is demarcated by the contour line of a large horse, belonging tothe same period.

Figure 24: Narsinghgarh-HinglajMata IF -10; Historic (?); Red; Height of the right skin 20 cm Fourhides (?) and one partly preserved animal.

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Figure 25: Firengi FL 3; Historic (Kushana style); Red; Height of the man 20 cm Man with a largebow. In back of him is a bundle of arrows fastened to a branch (?).


Figure 26: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Length of the horse 15 cm. Horse

Figure 27: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Length of the horse 15 cm. A mare.

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Figure 28: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Length of the horse 15 cm. A horse roped to a stake and threeunidentified animals.

Figure 29: Urden; Historic; Red; Height of the right figure 20 cm Rider with bow on a caparisonedhorse and a women (?) with a bundle of arrows.


Figure 30: Gelpur; Historic; Red; Height of the left figure 25 cm. A warrior with a lance and shield.Weapons and cloths are decorated with long tassels. Before him is a rider on an elephant.

Figure 31: Firengi BK; Historic; Red on white foundation; Length of the elephant 38 cm. Rider on anelephant.

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Figure 32: Urden; Historic; Red; Length 35 cm Horse

Figure 33: Urden; Historic; Red; Length of the spear 60 cm. Rider with a lance on a caparisonedhorse. It seems the painting is unfinished.


Figure 34: Urden; Historic; Red; Length of the spear 60 cm. Rider with a lance on a caparisonedhorse. Before the horse is a bundle of arrows. The painting is probably unfinished.

Figure 35: Satkunda; Historic; Red; Length of the horse 12 cm. A big cat (?), a horse and a manholding a lizard (?)

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Figure 36: Kharwai; Historic; Red; Length of the horse 30 cm. A Man leading a saddled horse.

Figure 37: GelpurSG 3; Historic; Red with partly preserved black contour lines; Height of the leftmost figure 45 cm.Two antagonistic groups of horsemen. The painting was originally in white red and blackof which only red and black have been preserved. The caparisoned horses are mounted byarmoured knights equipped with sword and shield, and bow and arrows. At the right end ofthe picture is depicted a women with veil (?).


Figure 37a: A Gelpur SG 3; Historic; Red with partly preserved black contour lines; Height c.50 cm.Rider on a caparisoned horse. The horseman is armed with sword and shield. Althoughshown in side view, the body is twisted to show the front portion and both eyes are shown.

Figure 38: Bhijolia-MahadoPani; Historic; Red; Length of the horse 23 cm; Horserider and two flagbearers.

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Figure 39: GelpurSF 3; Historic; Red, Breasts painted black; Height of the central figure 28 cm.Woman with veil and two smaller attendants. A parrot is sitting on her hand. While thefigures are shown in the usual frontal position, the head of the women bent towards thebird, but the eyes are shown in a twisted perspective. Traces of a white contrast pigmentsare available. The breasts of the woman are painted in black.


Figure 40: Bhijolia-MahadoPani; Historic; Red; Length of the upper horse 20 cm; Legend to the pictureSee P009 / P51A, No. 40A

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Figure 40; 40A Bhijolia-MahadoPani; Historic; Red; Length of the upper horse 20 cm;The rock picture shows an extensive composition, which is not uniformly preserved. At theupper part is a procession of riders on horses and two smaller riders on camels. One of thecamel riders carries a fish standard, in front of the upper horse rider is a flag standard, andbelow the rider is a round-shaped standard. A Gupta Brahmi inscription is placed above therider. (The Gupta Brahmi inscription reads as: “Shri Kavisena lihitikamdatam” [ (By) ShriKavisena inscribed (and) given], indicating the name of the patron as Kavisena.) [For thereading: Thanks to Dr. V.H. Sonawane, Baroda] A further -unfinished (?)-horse-rider isaccompanied by bow men aiming at dogs. Below this is a less well preserved group of ahorseman preceded and followed by bearers of standards. Above the rider is a hero liftingup two small bow-men. Belo the rider is a large person stretched on a pier (?). Besides himare a few bow men and standard-bearers. The painting can be understood as a hero painting,comparable to the depictions on hero stones.

Figure 41: Kharwai; Historic; The elephants left are in white with red contour lines, the other figuresare in red; Length of the composition 900 cm; See Figs. 41, 42, 43a, b.The paintings are found at the rear wall of a deep Rock shelter, the floor space of which isextended by a massive platform into the open. On this platform exists the foundation of arubble-packed stupa.The painting shows several mounted lords in between their attendant food soldiers, ridingtowards the left, while a herd of cattle and two elephants with a number of men is movingtowards the opposite direction.


Figure 42: (Detail from Fig.41) Kharwai; Historic; Red; Length of the right horse 50 cm. A herd ofcattle and a horseman with an attendant.

Figure 43a: (Detail from Fig.41) Kharwai; Historic; Red; Length of the horse 35 cm. The rider and footsoldiers above a “field symbol”.

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Figure 43b:(Detail from Fig.41) Kharwai; Historic; Red; Length of the horse c. 50 cm. Two of theriders and their footmen.

Figure 44: Bhijolia-MahadoPani; Historic; Red; Length of the horse 30 cm;A unique “rape and revenge” scene close to the edge of a river. A woman being assaultedfrom behind while fetching water is rescued by a second person. This theme is painted twotimes and there are also two more couples in intercourse. The rider on the horse has a smallvignette-like square right to him showing a man and a woman (?) arm in arm.


Figure 45: Chilas; Historic; Engraving; Rock engraving from Chilas, close to the bank of the IndusRiver, showing a man assaulting a woman (?) leaning over a pitcher. The Karoshti Inscriptionreads: Drighayusam with Kacarika.

Figure 46: Satkunda-Mahadeopani West; Historic; Red and white; Height of the mask 10 cm

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Figure 47: Satkunda-Mahadeopani West; Historic; Red; Length of the mask 6, 5 cmMask like figure belonging to the “Kushana style”. The mask is under a line of pseudo (?)-Brahmi script

a note on the ‘kushana’ paintings in the rock...

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