Celeste Paxton, a graduate student pursuing her M.A. art history, has been researching cave paintings at Chaturbhujnath Nala in the Indian state of Madya Pradesh.

Paxton, who is studying South Asian Art under the guidance of Dr. Cathleen Cummings in the Department of Art and Art History, was inspired to do her field work after seeing photographs of the ancient site, which is the longest rock art gallery in the world and dates back to the Upper Paleolithic Period, between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago. Her work has helped highlight the artistic and historic significance of the paintings, and has led to additional research on the social structure and use of weapons and warfare by the people of that region from 2,300 to 1,000 BCE.

Paxton’s work in India was funded in part by the Caroline P. Ireland Travel Grant, which provided $1,000 toward her research. She plans to continue pursuing her project as well as applying the skills she has learned at UAB to her job at the Museum Support Center at the Anniston Army Depot.