The Prehistoric painters used it as binding medium in colours ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
The use of Fat of Animals as a binding medium is the scientifically confirmed practice for many of the world's most famous prehistoric cave paintings. Prehistoric artists utilized natural pigments, such as ochre (iron oxide) for reds and yellows and charcoal for black, by grinding these raw earth minerals into a fine powder. To create a liquid, workable paint that would permanently adhere to the damp, rough rock surfaces of the caves, they needed a binder. Animal fats, obtained as a natural by-product from the hunted animals' bone marrow or tallow, were the most practical and readily available organic substance that provided the necessary viscosity and adhesive qualities. This mixing process resulted in an exceptionally durable paint that has successfully endured for tens of thousands of years, a testament to the effectiveness of animal fat as a binder.

The incorrect option is 1:
Gum, specifically plant gum like Gum Arabic, is an effective and common water-soluble binder, but its systematic use is associated with later periods of art, starting primarily in Ancient Egyptian and subsequent manuscript painting. Although some organic materials may have been used opportunistically, relying on plant gums would have been less consistent for nomadic hunter-gatherers, as it requires specific trees and preparation. Animal fat was a constant resource due to hunting, making it the dominant and most readily accessible binding agent.

The incorrect option is 2:
Red soil is fundamentally a pigment, not a binder. Pigments are the dry, finely ground materials that provide the colour (like ochre/red soil or charcoal). The binding medium, in this case the animal fat, is the liquid that is mixed with the dry pigment to create the actual paint. Red soil itself has no adhesive property to fix the pigment to the cave wall; without a sticky binder, the powdered soil would simply brush off the surface. Therefore, red soil was a key ingredient in their palette but served a different function than a binder.

The incorrect option is 4:
Gomutra (cow urine) has various traditional and religious uses in Indian culture, including in some folk medicine and rituals, but there is no archaeological or chemical evidence confirming its use as a standard binding medium in prehistoric rock art anywhere in the world. As a liquid, its primary component is water, and it lacks the necessary sticky protein or fatty composition required to create a durable, permanent, and water-resistant paint film on a stone substrate. A durable binder, like animal fat, was essential for the art to survive the elements inside the caves.