Rock Art in Kumaon Himalaya/Yashodhar Mathpal. 1995, xxii, 92 p., 65 plates, col. plates, $46.
Contents: Preface. I. Rock art research: a review. II. Area of study: 1. Geology and geography of the region. 2. Climate. 3. Flora. 4. Fauna. 5. Population. 6. Prehistory and protohistory of Kumaon Himalaya. III. Rock art in Kumaon Himalaya. IV. The outer and the inner: (i) The outer: 1. Subject matter. 2. Colours. 3. Technique. 4. Style. 5. Superimposition. 6. State of preservation. (ii). The inner: 1. Artistic merit. 2. Motivation. 3. The antiquity of rock art in Kumaon Himalaya. Notes. References. Index.
"This is the third book on rock art published by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts under the Adi Drsya programme.
"This book brings into focus facets of pre-historic Rock Art of Kumaon Himalaya--an area comparatively un-known. An attempt has been made in this work to document and record various sites of roc art and rock shelters hitherto unidentified. The materials incorporated in this volume are quite distinctive and definitely new. The rock paintings as noticed in this area show as usual man and nature relationship in a simplistic representation. The most interesting paintings found in Kumaon region are the dancing scenes, which are in large varieties followed by drumbeating figures, hunters and others.
"In this book the author discusses the subject matter, the technique, the style and the state of preservation of rock art of the region alongwith artistic merit and motivation of the artist of pre-historic time in a simple language. Illustrations incorporated in this volume are the water colour reproductions done by the author in the field itself. Illustrations are quite interesting and give an accurate impression of rock art of central Himalaya.
"In addition to the paintings, engravings and petroglyphs found in the Kumaon region show a very unusual forms and content which are distinctive from the ones found in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh region in upper Himalayas.
"This book gives an overview of rock art research as a whole and its present state in India and abroad. The material incorporated in this monograph will be of great help to the scholars pursuing rock art research." (jacket)
[Yasodhar Mathpal also wrote Pre-Historic Rock Paintings of Bhimbetka.]