Which of the following Indian Archaeologists first visited 'Bhimbetka Caves' and discovered prehistoric significance of its rock paintings ?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — C, V.S. Wakankar. The archaeologist Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar is credited with first drawing attention to the Bhimbetka rock shelters and recognising the prehistoric significance of their rock paintings. He spotted the rock formations in 1957 while travelling by train through the Vindhyan hills of Madhya Pradesh, and detailed study followed. Bhimbetka (Raisen district, MP) was later inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Wrong — M.S. Vats was a Harappan archaeologist best known for his excavations at Harappa, not for Bhimbetka.  (b) Wrong — Sankalia was a pioneering prehistorian of the Deccan College who excavated sites such as Langhnaj and Ahar, but the Bhimbetka discovery is credited to Wakankar.  (d) Wrong — V.N. Misra was an eminent prehistorian who worked on Mesolithic sites like Bagor, but he did not make the Bhimbetka discovery attributed to Wakankar.

Concept: Bhimbetka is a cluster of natural rock shelters in the Vindhyan hills of Madhya Pradesh containing one of the largest and oldest collections of prehistoric rock art in India, with paintings spanning the Upper Palaeolithic/Mesolithic to historic periods. Its 'discovery' for prehistory is attributed to V.S. Wakankar, who first recognised the antiquity of its paintings.

State PCS 2020 Q10 — History PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2020 Q10 — History PYQ with Answer