Contents: Foreword Preface, Acknowledgement, A List of Abbreviation, A List of Illustrations, 1. Introduction, 2. Early Rock Art Researches, 3. Spatial Placement of Rock Art Locations, 4. Excavations in Rock Art Sites, 5. Ethnic Parallels in Rock Art, 6. A Glance on Global Rock Art , 7. Data Collection on Case Studies, 8. Classification of Rock Art, 9. Statistical Analysis, 10. Chronology of Rock Art, 11. Direct Dating of Rock Art, Conclusion, Bibliography, Index, Plates Dating aspect of rock art has been a critical issue right from very beginning in the researches, as the parameters, assigned for enumeration, have not been accepted by the scholars by and large. Now, with the development of direct dating methods, it has been possible to assess the age of rock art in chronometric years absolutely. However, it is not feasible to date the rock art at every site owing to its magnitude in occurrence. With a view to emphasize on its date, efforts have been made to include every aspect of rock art in the treatise. The book has focused mainly on the traditional methods of relative dating and direct dating methods which have been developed in recent years. The dates obtained from both the methods have been given accordingly. Besides, it has incorporated previous researches made by Britishers during the British period, spatial distribution of rock art in the sub continent and probing operations carried out in the floors of the painted shelters at various sites in search of associated culture in general and direct evidences related with the imageries in particular. Since the rock art has striking resemblance with the tribal art and its occurrence in the region inhabited by diff erent tribal people, ethnic parallels have been assessed for proper perspective. Further, the rock art has global presence excepting Antarctic zone it makes worldwide distribution. Hence its prevalence has been shown in all the continents with emphasis on the probable dates. As in every research work, data collection is very important, therefore, case studies, carried out at various sites of Central India, have been included in the publication. Classification of rock art imageries, made on the basis of style analysis, contents and forms, has been incorporated in a separate chapter. Statistical analysis of the contents has revealed the cultural traits, which have been shown appropriately through charts and tables. In last, the dates, obtained from direct dating methods and traditional module, have been integrated, which is the main objective of the publication. The Author Dr. S.S. Gupta, Former Superintending Archaeologist of A.S.I. has conducted a number of archaeological investigations all along the length and breadth of the country right from Kashmir to Andaman- Nicobar Island and North- East region to Goa and abroad including Maldives. He has visited Japan and Belgium towards display of Museum sculptures in special exhibitions organized in these countries. Besides, he made a Korea visit in connection with the presentation in an International conference on World Heritage. He has worked in various Archaeological Museums and Circles and attended restoration and conservation works in different monuments of Central India and North-East region during his tenure in A.S.I. A good number of research articles authored by him are published in various Journals and Felicitation Volumes. Further, there are publications ‘Sculptures and Antiquities in the Archaeological Museum Amaravati’ and ‘Archaeology of North East India’ to his credit. He has been awarded Senior Research Fellowship by Dr. Vishnu Sridhar Wakankar Archaeological Research Institute, Bhopal in the year 2015 for the research project ‘Buddhist Monastic Establishments in Rock Art Sites of Madhya Pradesh’ which is under publication by the Research Institute.