Study of the Traditional Rock Art of the Zo Tribes in Northeast India

Abstract

Stone engraving or carving also known as petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving or abrading, as a form of rock art. In the engraving, animals, men, ornaments, instruments, weapons and so on have been depicted which is the material culture of the Zo tribes. This article attempts to give a brief account of the living rock art tradition of the Zo people in the transborder area of Indo-Myanmar. The culture extended to Chin Hills and Mizoram who are the same group of southern Manipur. The periodisation of the studied rock art is beyond the understanding of a mere scholar without the help of experts. This article deals only with the petroglyph or rock art irrespective of megalith, monolith, dolmens or menhir. Efforts have been made to explore how these diverse tendencies can be beneficial within the study of rock art and history.