RONO HILLS, 4 Aug: A three-day national seminar on ‘Rock art – Archaeology of India: A comparative interpretation with Northeast India’, organised by the Adi Drishya Division of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), in collaboration with the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) and the anthropological department of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), concluded here on Saturday.
At the inaugural session on 1 August, RGU Vice-Chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha announced the development
of a new rock art museum, to be established by RGU’s anthropology department, in collaboration with the Adi Drishya Division, the university informed in a release.
Prof Ravi Korisettar from the National Institute of Advanced Studies highlighted the importance of rock art in understanding human cognitive development, while RGU Registrar Dr NT Rikam underscored the necessity for further research on Northeast India’s rock art sites, and proposed that a memorandum of understanding be signed among RGU’s anthropology department, the IGNCA and the ICHR “to foster academic cooperation.”
The seminar focused on the historical and cultural significance of rock art and archaeological findings in India, with particular emphasis on Northeast India.
The discussions covered early archaeological efforts by pioneers such as Alexander Cunningham and Robert Bruce Foote, and examined the cultural connections between Northeast India and Southeast Asia, including the Hoabinhian culture.
The event showcased rock art discoveries across Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal, Tripura, and Manipur, and highlighted the ongoing traditions of rock and wood engraving among indigenous groups. “Comparative studies of rock art in Northeast India and other regions, as well as themes on prehistoric and archaeological cultures, were also explored,” the release stated.
Sixteen papers were submitted during the seminar.
During the valedictory programme, Adi Drishya Division Head Dr Ramakar Pant emphasised the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to rock art studies, and said that more such workshops ought to be organised in the Northeast.
ICHR Assistant Director Dr Vinod Kumar, ICHR Northeast Regional Centre Assistant Director Dr Nitin Kumar, and RGU Social Science Dean Prof Sarit K also spoke.