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Rock art is the first visual articulation and manifestation of humankind which emanates from his sense of sight. The proximity of this art and its affinity with the art of many living communities of the world today makes it all the more significant and valuable. It can thus be treated as a source of cultural communication between the past, the present and the future.

To celebrate what is undeniably one of the earliest forms of art, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) organised an international conference on rock art, comprising of special lectures, artists workshops and exhibitions. This global event, with the participation of renowned scholars from all over the world was held at New Delhi from 6th December, 2012 to 23rd January, 2013.

The present volumes, Rock Art Studies (I & II), are the proceedings of the conference. The two volumes contain selected articles representing rock art from all over the world. The first volume covers subjects related to content, context, methodology, conservation and management while the second volume contains papers on the interpretation of rock art.

The articles in the volumes hold good promise in terms of recent trends in rock art research. The vast spectrum of subjects/themes covered by these two volumes indicates the concerns and seriousness of present day researchers for the study and conservation of rock art globally. Their main concern is exploring the ‘future of the past’ beyond the duty of discovering, protecting, and educating about archaeological treasures. As rock art is an intricate and complex domain covering material and cognitive aspects of culture, a multidisciplinary approach has been recommended by many contributors to decode and understand it in all its dimensions.

The beautifully illustrated volumes aim to boost and promote rock art research. They will not only interest scholars but also general readers at large and will certainly contribute to enhance our vision of rock art.