Expectations at the Potentially History Changing Site
Ashok Khemka, principal secretary to government archaeology and museums department of Haryana, said that although a team from the department has conducted a preliminary study, further investigations will be undertaken. Archaeologists could, however, be getting ahead of themselves. Dating exercises at similar sites in India have been limited to analysis of the type of tools discovered. Nevertheless, in this case most of the cave paintings were created using red ochre, which means that the scientists expect to find analyzable, or datable, proteins within the pigments.
Indian Express say secretary Khemkas has already committed to granting “protection status to Mangar forest” of Haryana. Khemkas boldly claimed that the state archaeologists believe the art world will be dated back “roughly 20-30,000 years.” Khemka also said funds would be provided for a team of experts in prehistoric cave paintings, and that “locals and a few research scholars from the nearby universities will also be involved in the extensive survey.”