Bhimbetka, Auditorium Cave, Madhya Pradesh: Acheulian Petroglyph Site, c. 200,000 - 500,000 BP / p) bmbcracct

Tentative Interpretation (James Harrod): Here I suggest that the Acheulian artisans who placed the cupules on Chief's Rock may have seen the rock as a figuration of one or even two elephants. Circles indicate the cupules. The larger 'elephant' appears to have a flake removed to create the eye. The trunk has the typical S curve of elephant trunks as depicted on many Early and Middle Paleolithic stone sculptures (see e.g., Pampau gallery 5). The possible smaller 'elephant' which appears to have two eye chips (noted in highlight) has a very steeply sloping back, which suggests a very young elephant (see illustrations that follow).

Photo © James Harrod or as otherwise noted. All James Harrod site photos taken on tour of Bhimbetka, International Rock Art Congress - 2004, Rock Art Society of India, 12/4/2004. This gallery first posted 10/13/2006.