Ancient India
The Stone Age/Lithic Age 30,00,000 BC to 1,000 BC
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- The Stone Age/Lithic Age 30,00,000 BC To 1,000 BC
- Introduction - Indian History
- Historical Sources (Literary & Archaeological Source)
- Pre-Historic Period (30,00,000 BC - 600 BC) Human Evolution
- Pre Harappan, Harappan, Post Harappan Age/Calco-Lithic Age (3,500 BC - 1,000 BC)
- Vedic Period (Vedic, Rig Vedic, Later Vedic Period) - 1500 BC - 600 BC Original Homo of The Aryan
- Mahajanapada Period (600 BC-325 BC)
- Religious Movements (600 BC - 400 BC) – Jainism, Buddhism
- Maurya Period (322 BC - 155 BC)
- Post-Maurya/Pre-Gupta Period (185BC-319 AD)
- The Sangam Period (1st-3rd Century AD)
- Gupta Period (319 AD - 540 AD)
- Post-Gupta Period/Vardhana Dynasty (550 AD - 647 AD)/Pushyabhuti
- Early Medieval Period (650 AD-1206 AD)/ Rajput Period & Cholas
- Sultanate Period (1206-1526AD) - The Delhi Sultanate
- Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1565 AD) & The Other KIngdoms
- Religious Movements in 15th -16th Centuries ( Bhakti & Sufi Movements)
- Mughal Period (1526-1540 and 1555-1857)
- Maratha State (1674-1720) and Maratha Confederacy (1720-1818)
- The Advent of the Europeans (Portuguese, Dutch, French, East India Company)
- Expansion of British Power (In the context of Bengal, Mysore, Punjab etc.)
- Economic Impact of British Rule
- Socio-Religious Movements in 19th-20th Centuries
- Lower Caste/Caste Movements and Organisations
- Moderate Phase (1885-1905) - Indian National Congress
- Extremist Phase (1905-1917)
- The Gandhian Era: 1869–1948
- Miscellaneous - Indian History
The Stone Age/Lithic Age 30,00,000 BC to 1,000 BC
The Stone Age, also called the Lithic Age, is named after the large number of stone tools found from this period. It is divided into three stages based on tools and lifestyle:
Name of the period |
Time Period |
Life Style |
Implements (Tools & Weapons) |
Paleolithic |
30,00,000 BC – 10,000 BC |
Hunter & Food – gatherers |
Chopper, Chopping Hand Axe, Cleaver, Fake tools,; Blade Tools |
Mesolithic |
9,000 BC – 4,000 BC |
Hunters & Herders |
Microlith Implements |
Neolithic |
7,000 BC – 1,000 BC |
Food – Producer |
Polished Implements |
Paleolithic Age – The Old Stone Age
The word Paleolithic comes from two Greek words: Paleo (old) and lithic (stone), meaning Old Stone Age.
R.B. Foote, a geologist from the Geological Survey of India, was the first to systematically discover Stone Age tools in India. In 1863, he found a hand axe at Pallavaram in Tamil Nadu. Because of his contributions, he is known as the Father of Prehistoric Archaeology in India.
In 1982, another major discovery was made by Arun Sonakia, a geologist in the Paleontology Division. He found a female skull at Hathnora in the Narmada valley (Hoshangabad district, Madhya Pradesh).
This was a big achievement because it placed India on the world map for finding early human (hominid) fossils. According to Sonakia, the skull belonged to Homo Erectus, an early human species from the Stone Age.
Paleolithic Human Life
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Primitive Living:
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Paleolithic people lived a simple, wild life. They hunted animals and ate raw meat, fruits, and roots.
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They didn’t know farming, wore unstitched clothes, and had no proper homes.
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No Fire at First:
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In the early phase, they didn’t know about fire and ate raw food.
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They had no way to protect themselves from wild animals.
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Discovery of Fire:
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Around 2,00,000 BC to 1,00,000 BC, they discovered fire by rubbing quartzite stones.
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This helped them cook food and stay safe—a big step in human evolution.
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Clothing:
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They wore animal skins, bark, and leaves—especially in cold or rainy weather.
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Shelter and Art:
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No permanent homes. They lived in caves, forests, or under trees.
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Cave paintings, like those in Bhimbetka, show early art from the Upper Paleolithic Age.
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Food Habits:
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They were food-gatherers, not farmers.
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They had no idea of farming or pottery, and lived close to wild nature.
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Burial Practices:
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There were no funerals. Dead bodies were left in the open and eaten by birds or animals.
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Paleolithic Implements
On the basis of differences in stone-implements, the Paleolithic period is divided into three ages—Lower/Earlier Paleolithic Age, Middle Paleolithic Age and Upper/Later Paleolithic Age
Name of the age |
Time Period |
Implements (Tools & Weapons) |
Lower/Earlier/Earlypaleolithic Age |
30,00,000 BC – 1, 00, 000 BC |
Chopper & Chopping ; Hand axe & cleaver |
Middle Paleolithic Age |
1,00,000 BC – 40, 000 BC |
Implements made of Flake |
Upper / Later / Late Paleolithic Age |
40,000 BC – 10,000 BC |
Implements made of Fake & Blade |
Lower/ Earlier /Early Paleolithic people used quartzite (a type of stone) and other stones to make implements (tools & weapons).
On the basis of implement-type and spread regions, the cultures of lower Paleolithic period are divided into two parte-Chopper-Chopping Pebble Culture (Sohan Culture) and Hand Axe culture (Madrasian culture)
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Chopper Chopping Pebble Culture: The implements of their culture were first found in Sohan river valley of west Punjab (Pakistan), that's why this culture is also called 'Sohan culture'.
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Pebble: Apiece of rock whose edges had been become smooth & shiny due to friction from flow of water.
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Chopper: Unifacial pebble/single-edged pebble (made by chipping of a pebble to make a single edge)
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Chopping: Bifacial pebble/double-edged pebble (made by chipping of a pebble to make a double edge).
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Hand Axe Culture: The implements of this culture were first found at Badmadurai & Attirampakkam of Madras, that's why it is also called 'Madrasian Culture'.
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Hand Axe: Hand axes were made using the core and flake method—thick at the base, thin at the front. They were used for cutting and tearing.
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Cleaver: The cleaver was used to cleave (split) the barks of trees and skins of animals.
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Scraper:The scraper was used to scrap (flay) the barks of trees and skins of animals.
Lower/Earlier/Early Paleolithic Sites
State wise descriptions of Lower/Earlier/Early Paleolithic sites are as follows.
State |
River Valley Region (Archaeological Sites) |
Punjab (Pakistan) |
Sohan River Valley (Pindi gheb, Adiyal, Khasarkalan, (Pakistan) Chauntara,Balbal, Garial, Kasalkalan, Riwat, Aurang- zeb, Morga etc), Potwar |
Kashmir |
Liddar River Valley (Pahalgam) |
Himachal Pradesh |
Vyas-Vanganga River valley (Guler, Dehra, Ghali- yada, Kangara etc), Sirsa River Valley (Nalgarh etc) |
Rajasthan |
Chambal River Valley (Sonita, Bhainsorgarh etc), Gambhiri River Valley (Chlttorgarh), Berach River Valley (Nagari),Situatedin Nagore District-Didwana |
Gujarat |
Sabarmati River Valley (Hadol, Padhamali, Birpur etc), Hirana River Valley (Umarethi)
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Madhya Pradesh |
Narmada River Valley [In Hoshangabad district- Pradesh Hathnora (from where in 1982, Arun Sonakia, a geologist in Paleontology Division of the Geological Survey of India, found a fossil of women's skull- which is the earliest finding of human remains in India), Situated in Hoshangabad district-Adamgarh & Mahadev-Piparia; situated in Raisen district-Bhim- betaka]; Son River Valley (Sinhawal, Patpara, Baghor, Khetaunhi, Nakajharkhurda) |
Uttar Pradesh |
Belan River Valley (from Baraundha of Mirzapur district to Belan-Tons juncture of Meza tehsil of Allahabad district) |
Bihar |
Munger, various sites situated in Rajgir. |
Jharkhand |
Various sites situated in Sinhbhum, Santhal Parganas, Hazaribagh, Ranchi districts. |
West Bengal |
Various sites situated in Bankura, Purulia, Birbhum, Midnapur districts. |
Odisha |
Buhar-Valang Valley (various sites situated in Mayurbhanj district, e.g-Kaliyana) |
Maharashtra |
Pravara River Valley (Newasa), Godawari River Valley (Gangapur), Pravara—Chirki Nala Valley(Chirki-Newasa), Kukadi River Valley (Bori) |
Andhra Pradesh |
Various sites situated In Kumool, Chlttur, Nagarju-nikonda, Nalkonda, Kudappa, Nellore, Prakasham,Mehboob Nagar districts. |
Karnataka |
Malprabha-Ghatprabha River Valley (situated in Bijapur district-Anagbadi, situated in Gulbargadistrict-Hunsgi) |
Tamil Nadu |
Kortalyar River Valley (Pallavaram—first Paleolithic site from where Robert Bruce Foote, a geologist ofthe Geological Survey of India, discovered stone implement—Hand Axe; Badmadurai, Attirapakkam,Manajkaran, Budida Manuvanka, Gudiam etc.) |
Middle Paleolithic Implements
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The chief stone implement material of this age was flake. The implements made from flakes were Scraper, Burin, Boreretc.
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Due to preponderance of implements made from flake, the Middle Paleolithic Age is also called "Flake Culture".
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In the making of these implements the good quality of quartzite (a type of stone) was used. The precious stone like Chert, Zasper, Flint were also used in plenty to make implements.
Middle Paleolithic Sites
Statewise descriptions of Middle Paleolithic sites are as follows.
State |
River Valley Region (Archaeological Sites) |
Jowajan (Afghanistan) |
Sanghao Cave |
Punjab (Pakistan) |
Sohan River Valley, Indus River Valley (Rohri) |
Jammu Kashmir |
Liddar River Valley (Pahalgam) |
Himachal Pradesh |
Vyas-Vanganga River Valley, Sirsa River Valley |
Rajasthan |
Berach-Bagan-Kadmali River Valley, Luni-Jojari- Resiya-Bandi-Sukari Lilary River Valley, Situated in Nagore district-Jayal, Mangalpura, Janana etc. In eastern front of Thar district—Budha Pushkar |
Gujarat |
Various sites situated in Gujarat, Saurashtra, Kuchchh |
Madhya Pradesh |
Situated in Raisen district—Bhimbetaka caves, Situated in Panna district—Pandav Prapat, Situ¬ated in Sidhi district—Sihawal, Nakjharakhurd & Patapara, Situated on the bank of Narmada— Samanpur |
Uttar Pradesh |
Situated in Varanashi district-Chakiya tehsil & Sonbhadra; Singroli basin of Mirzapur district; Meza, Karchhana & Baran tehsils of Allahabad district; Various sites situated in Chitrakuta, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jhansi, Lalitpur districts. |
Jharkhand |
Various sites of Sinhbhum & Palamu districts |
West Bengal |
Various sites situated in Purulia district |
Odisha |
Buhar-Valang Valley |
Maharashtra |
Khandlvalli, Newasa, Bel Pnndhari, Suregaon, Kalegaon, Nandumadhameshwar |
Andhra Pradesh |
Various sites situated in Kumool, Nagar Junikonda, Nalgonda, Chittur, Kadappa, Nellore, Prakasham etc districts. |
Karnataka |
Various sites situated in Shorapur doab, Bhlma river & Hunsgi canal regions of Belgauin, Bijapur, Gulbarga, districts. |
Tamil Nade |
Attirapakkam, Gudiam etc. |
Upper/Later Paleolithic Implements
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The chief stone implement material of this age were Flake& Blade. The various types of implements were made fromFlake-Blade, in which Burin is the most important.
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Due to preponderance of implements made from Flake-Blade, the Upper/Later Paleolithic Age is also called 'Flake-Blade Culture'.
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In the making of these implements, the precious stones like Chert, Zasper, Flint etc were used. In this age, besides stones, bone-homs made implements are also found.
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These implements were made mainly from long bones and horns of animals. Uptil now the maximum number of bone- hom-made implements were found from Muchchhatala Chintamanugavi cave shelter of Andhra Pradesh.
Upper/Later Paleolithic Sites
Statewise description of Upper/Later Paleolithic sites are as follows.
State |
River Valley Region (Archaeological Sites) |
Jowajan (Afghanistan) |
Sanghao Cave |
Punjab (Pakistan) |
Indus River Valley (Rohri)
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Rajasthan |
Situated in Ajmer district—Budha Pushkar |
Gujarat |
Visadi |
Madhya Pradesh |
Jogdaha, Bhimbetka (finding of some pieces ofblue colour stones), Baburi, Rampur, Baghore-I |
Uttar Pradesh |
Belan River Valley (Finding of a bone-madestatue of Matridevi from Lohanda nala regionof Meza Tehsil in Allahabad district—This is the only statue found from Upper/Later Paleolithic sites of India), Son River Valley (a site near Chopan in Sonbhadra district) |
Jharkhand |
Sinhbhum |
Maharashtra |
Situated in Jalgaon district—Patne (finding of beads made from egg-shells of ostrich), Bhadne & Inamgaon |
Andhra Pradesh |
Renigunta, Bemula, Yerragondapalem, Caves (Bila Surganum—remains of Hearth, this is the earliest site of hearth finding in India) of Kumool, Muchchhtala Chintamanugavi caveshelter (The richest site of bone-hom-madeimplements remains finding from Upper/laterPaleolithic sites of India), Betam Cherla. |
Karnataka |
Situated in Gulbarga district—Shorapur doab (doab-a region lying between two rivers),Bijapur district. |
Mesolithic Age or the Middle Stone Age (9,000 BC - 4,000 BC)
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The term 'Mesolithic' is the combination of two Greekwords, Meso (Middle) and Lithic (Stone). Thus the meaning of Mesolithic Age is Middle Stone Age.
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Being an intermediate stage between Paleolithic Age &Neolithic Age, this is called Mesolithic Age.
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This was the age of transition, because they neither totally abandoned the characteristics of Paleolithic Age nor totally adopted the features of Neolithic Age.
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In India, the credit for the discovery of Mesolithic archaeological materials goes to John Evans. Mr. Evans excavated Sakkar & Rohri (archaeological sites of Sindh) in 1866.
Mesolithic Human Life
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Taming the Animals: Mesolithic people began domesticating animals like dogs, sheep, goats, and cattle. Early evidence of this comes from Adamgarh (Madhya Pradesh) and Bagore (Rajasthan).
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Burial of the Dead: These people were aware of the burial process of dead bodies. It is confirmed by the graves that have been found in Sarainahar Rai & Mahdaha of Pratapgarh district (Uttar Pradesh).
Mesolithic people buried their dead with food and tools, suggesting belief in life after death.
Dog skeletons found with humans at sites like Adamgarh show early domestication. Unlike the Paleolithic, complete human skeletons first appear in large numbers from this period.
Mesolithic Implements
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Tiny Tools: Mesolithic tools, called microliths, were very small (1–8 cm) and included scrapers, borers, lunates, and arrowheads.
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New Materials: Stone tools were made from agate, jasper, chert, and chalcedony, unlike the quartzite used in the Paleolithic Age.
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Bone & Horn Use: Some tools from this period were also crafted from bone and horn, showing innovation in material use.
Mesolithic Sites
Statewise descriptions of Mesolithic sites are as follows:
State |
Sites (Archaeological remains) |
Rajasthan |
At the bank of Kothari river of Bhilwada district— Baghore (Human-skelton, 3 copper arrow-heads & burnt bones of tammed animals), Nim Bahera & Mandapiya; Situated in Banner district—Tilwada situated in Pali district—Sojat, Jadan, Kanwas & Dha- neri; Situated in Jodhpur district—Bujawar, Chamu & Lhordia; Situated in Ajmer district—Hokhara. |
Gujarat |
Situated in Mehsana district—Langhnaj (Burial ground, 14 human skelton, bones of animals); Val- sana, Akhaj, Loteshwar & Ratanpur; Situated in Panchmahal district—Pavagarh & Tarsang stone- Shelters; Situated in Ahmedabad district—Undrel; Situated in Sabarkantha district—Dhamsura; Situated in Jamnagar district—Pithau. |
Madhya Pradesh |
Situated in Hoshangabad district –Adamgarh [Stone-shelter, 25000 microliths, bones of wild & domestic animals (dog, sheep, goat,cow-ox, buffalo, pig etc. pottery, rock- paintings)] Jambudwip (rock- shelter) & Dorothidwip (rock-shelter); Situated in Raisen district- Bhimbetka rock-shelters / caves (Discoverer – Vishnu Shridhar Vakankar in 1957, evidence of human burial, excess enriched site of rock-painting); Situated in Sidhi district- Baglhore-II, Medhauli, Banki & Ghagharia. |
Uttar Pradesh |
Situated in Pratapgarh district—SarainaharRai (Mi-croliths, horn-made implements, 14 burials, 6 fire pits), Mahadaha (dwelling place, burials, fire-pits, bones of twelve-tined, buffalo, elephant, rhinoc-eros' pig etc) & Damdama (Microliths, horn-made implements, ornaments, 41 human burials, fire-pits, bones of animals & birds, stone slab & grinder); Situated in Meza Tehsil of Allahabad district—Choponi- mando (an extensive field, huts, hand-made earth-enware—the earliest site of the world from where remains of the use of clay-pottery found, findings of Microliths & human skeltons from Karchhana Tehsil, Bora Tehsil, Phoolpur Tehsil(Jamunapur), Koraon Tehsil (Kuda, Bichhiya, Bhikhpur & Marudih) etc; Situated in Varanasi district—Chakiya (microliths, human skelton); Situated in Mirzapur district— Morhana Pahar (rock paintings of chariot & horses), Sohagighat (first site of the world from where rock painting discovered, year of discovery —1867-68, discoverer—A.C.L. Carllayle, Assistant Surveyor of Archaeological Survey of India), Baghahikhor, Le- khaniya/Lekhahiya (stone-shelter, microliths & 17 human skelton)
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Bihar |
Rajgir, Situated in Bhagalpur district—Ambar-pur, Dhaltaur & Rajapokhar, Situated in Munger district—Paisara etc. |
Jharkhand |
Situated in Ranchi district—Coochjharia, Palamu. |
West Bengal |
Situated in Barddhaman district—Birbhanpur (282 microliths, a combined place of factory & housing). |
Odisha |
Situated in Mayurbhanj district—Kuchai |
Maharashtra |
Situated near Mumbai—Khandivalli; Situated in the bank-region of Konkan—Kasushol, Janyire, Bayalgo, Jalgarh etc. |
AndhraPradesh |
Situated in Guntoor district—Nagarjunikonda, Situ-ated in Kurnool district—Giddlur, Situated in Chittur district—Renigunta |
Karnataka |
Situated in Bellari district—Sangankallu, Situated in Bengaluru district—Jalhalli (Specific Quartz- quartzite Industry—Beginning of technology of D-shaped slant arrow-heads as a new technology), Situated in Gulbarga district—Shorapur doab. |
Tamil Nadu |
Teri sites of Iirunevalli district— Magnapuram, Kattaampali, Kuthankali, Sawayapuram, Ketta- lankulam, Kulattur, Pattantaruwai, Surgundi, Na- jerath, Manadu & Kayamoli (Teri-mounds of sands is called 'Teri' in local language.) |
Neolithic Age or the New Stone Age (7,000 BC-1,000 BC)
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The term 'Neolithic' is the combination of two Greek word9, Neo (= New) and Lithic (= Stone). Thus the meaning of Neolithic Age is New Stone Age.
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In India, the credit of the discovery of Neolithic archaeological materials goes to Dr. Primrose- He discovered neolithic implements polished stone knives & arrow-heads from Lingasur of Karnataka in 1842.
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After that in 1860, H.P. Le Mesurier discovered some implements of Neolithic Age from Tons river valley situated in Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh.
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Famous archaeologist V. Gordon Childe (1892-1957) wrote in his book 'Mein Makes Himself' that Neolithic implements had brought a revolution (or a great change) in man's material life. This revolution is named 'Neolithic Revolution' by him.
Neolithic Human Life
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Three chief characteristics of human life of Neolithic Age were—Crop cultivation (Agriculture), Animal husbandry & Fixed abode/habitat.
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Mehargarh (Bolan district, Baluchistan Province, Pakistan) is called the earliest known village site of Indian subcontinent.
Agriculture
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Start of Agriculture: The Neolithic Age marked the beginning of agriculture, turning humans into food producers.
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Earliest Site: The earliest evidence of farming in the Indian subcontinent is from Mehargarh (Bolan district, Balochistan).
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Neolithic Crops: Neolithic people cultivated wheat, barley, paddy, millets, and vegetables.
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Earliest Evidence: Wheat and barley were first grown in Mehargarh, while the earliest paddy cultivation was found at Koldihwa (U.P.), the oldest known in the world.
Animal Husbandry
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Although men of lithic age were familiar with animals in the later phase of Mesolithic age, but in this period men's relation with animals became much intimate. In other words, in this age animal husbandry became extended.
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Among the animals domesticated by neolithic men, the main animals were—Dog, Sheep-Goat, Horse etc.
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The main occupation of Neolithic men were—animal hunting, catching fish & taming sheep-goat etc.
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Due to extension of agriculture and animal husbandry, way of life of men changed.
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Their nomadic life (ramping/wondering life) came to an end now and they used to live a life of a fanner tlmt settled in a place.
Clothes
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In this age, men started growing cotton and learnt about clothes.
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The clayey remains of spindle and loom from neolithic sites indicate that neolithic men knew about clothes weaving with the threads of wool, hemp (jute) & cotton.
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The earliest evidence of cotton in the world was found from Mehargarh (Bolan district, Pakistan).
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In oilier words, India is the first country in the world whose people leamt the art of spinning and weaving of cloth.
Houses
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Generally neolithic men lived in huts that had been made on the ground by bamboos and smearing of clay, [Exception : Kashmir Valley, Punjab (Pakistan)].
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In Kashmir and Punjab (Pakistan), Neolithic people lived in circular or oval pits dug into the ground, with niches for stairs and post-holes for thatched roofs.
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Evidence of this has been found at Burzahom and Gufkral (Kashmir) and Saraikhola (Punjab, Pakistan).
Pottery
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In 4,000 BC neolithic men invented Potter's wheel/ Wheel, which is believed to be a very important invention of technological advancement of men.
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Due to this invention, the pottery (earthenware vessels) that were made from potter's wheel had become possible, which were made by hand in the previous time.
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With the prevalance of wheel, the process of painting on the surface of pottery became popular.
Burial Process
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Two Burial Types in North India:
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Complete burial: The body was laid flat in a circular pit.
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Partial burial: Only selected bones were buried.
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Animal Burial Practice:
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At Burzahom and Gufkral (Kashmir), dogs were buried with humans.
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At Mehargarh (Baluchistan), goats were buried with their masters.
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Belief:
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These animals were likely buried to serve the dead in the afterlife.
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Two Burial Types in South India:
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Complete burial: Full bodies of adults were buried with grave goods like pottery and tools.
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Pot burial: Babies were buried in pots, symbolizing a return to the womb.
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Partial burial: Selected bones were buried instead of the whole body.
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Grave Goods:
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Implements and pottery were placed with the dead as part of burial customs.
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Symbolism:
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Pot burials reflected a cultural belief in rebirth or return to origin.
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Implements
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In terms of civilization, neolithic men had achieved suffice advancement. Stone implements of this age are petcked, ground and polished.
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These implements were made from stones other than quartzite stone. The main implements were-calt, hatcher, chisel, pestle, arrow-head, saw etc.
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At the level of neolithic, extensive knowledge of metalurgy did not indicated. Actual neolithic level has been accepted as metalless culture, Where limited use of metal had been seen at neolithic level, the archaeologists named that level Chalco-lithic level (Chaleo = Copper).
Neolithic Sites
Statewise descriptions of Neolithic Sites are as follows:
State |
Sites (Archaeological remains) |
Baluchistan (Pakistan) |
Situated in Bolan district—Mehargarh (the earliest evidence of agriculture—based life as a presence of wheat, barley and cattle; sheep and goat, house that made from hand-made bricks, stone blade industry, hand-made human statue, human burials with miscellaneous grave goods, wheel-made pottery, terracotta of animals and women, Crop remains— |
wheat, barley, millet, date etc; Animal remains-sheep, goat, deer, antelope, elephant etc); Kili Gul Muhammad (evidence of animals like sheep, goat, ox etc, handmade pottery, wheel-made pottery etc); Rana Ghundai (hand-made pottery, stone blade industry, bones of animals like sheep, goat, ass etc, four teeth of donkey); Anjira (wheel-made pottery) etc. |
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Indus Valley (Pakistan) |
Saraikhola (Pit-dwelling, hand-made polished pottery,Valley axe made by rubbing the stone etc), Jalilpur (Stoneblade industry, Animal remains—sheep, goat, deer etc), Ghumla (bones of domestic cattle), Ghaligai (hand-made pottery, painted pottery etc) |
Kashmir |
Situated in Srinagar district— Burzahom i.e. place of bhurza/bhoj [Pit-dwelling, man & dog burial (the custom of burial of pet animals with their master—this custom was rarely found in other sites of neolithic age), pottery of non-Indus & non-Baluchlstani tradition, Implements made from copper (single example), painting of buffalo of Pre-Indus tradition on a painted vessel]; Situated in Pulwama district—Gufkrall i.e. cave of potter (Pit-dwelling, man & dog burial, Crop remains—wheat, barley, bean, small grained pulse (masoor) etc, Animal remains—sheep, goat etc, Implement remains—implements made from stone & bones etc), Martand |
Madhya Pradesh |
Situated in Son river valley of Sidhi district— Kunjhun& Lalanahiaetc, |
UttarPradesh |
Situated in Allahabad district—Koldihwa [remainsof paddy-grains, husk and straw on pieces of earthen vessel (discoverer-G.R, Sharma)-the earliest evidence of paddy (rice) in the world, small and large earthen pot lo put grain, Animal remains-bones of animals like sheep, goat, cow etc, a small pen (Penan enclosed area to keep animals), circular huts made from clay & reed, hand-made pottery etc; Situated in Allahabad district- Mahagara & Panchoh (Agriculture remains evidence of cultivation of paddy (rice), sawan etc, Animal remains-remains of sheep, goat etc, Implement remains-stone axe etc, hand-made pottery); Situated in Sant Kabir Nagar district- Lahurdewa [(remains of husk of paddy (rice)] |
Bihar |
Situated in Saran district—Chirand {husk of paddy, Implement remains-implements made from stones & bones, rural settlement (huts made from bamboos& soil-smearing), hand-made pottery etc], Situated in Vaishali district-Chechar-Kutubpur (Agriculture remains-storing ditch, huts made from bamboos &soil-smearing, hand-made pottery etc), Situated in Gaya district-Taradih [Agriculture remains-remains of wheat, barley, small grained pulse (masoor), Animalremains-remains of sheep, goat, buffalo, deer, pigetc, Implement remains-implements made from stones & bones, huts made from reed & soil-smearingetc), Situated in Rohtas district-Senuwar (Agriculture remains-remains of wheat, barley, paddy, finger millet (raagi), bean etc, wheel-made pottery, hut made from reed & soil-smearing), Situated in Bhagalpur district—Oriap. |
Jharkhand |
Situated in Sinhbhum district-Barudih (Implement Remains-implements made from stone, Pottery remains-hand-made pottery, wheel-made pottery etc.) |
West Bengal |
Situated in Bardhaman district-Pandu Rajar Dhibi (Implements—implements made from stones &bones, Pottery remains—hand-made pottery on which imprint of husk of paddy printed etc.) |
Odisha |
Situated in Mayurbhanj district—Kuchai and Baidipur |
Assam |
Situated in Kamroop district-Sarutaru and Marakdila (Implement remains-implements made from stones, Pottery remains-hand-made pottery and wheel-made pottery etc),Situated in UttariKachhar district—DaojaliHading (Implement remains—implements made from stones, Pottery remains-remains of hand-made pottery & wheel-made pottery etc.) |
Meghalaya |
Pythorlangtein (Implement remains-implements made from stones, Pottery remains-hand-made pottery etc.) |
Manipur |
Napchik (Implement remains-implements made from stones, Pottery remains-hand-made pottery etc.) |
Andhra Pradesh |
Situated in Mehboob Nagar district-Utnur (AshMounds that made from burning the cow dung, Animal remains-sheep, goat etc, Implement remains-implements made from stones & bones; Potteryetc), Situated in Guntoor district-Nagarjunikonda Situated in Kumul district-Singanpalli Situated in Anantpur district-Palway (Ash mounds, bone-made implements etc.) |
Karnataka |
Situated in Gulbarga district-Kodekal Situated in Biiapur district-Terdal Situated in Raichur district-Maski(Ash mounds, Animal remains-sheep, goat etc,pottery, huts etc), Situated in Raichur district-Piklihal (Ash mounds, Animal remains-sheep, goat, ox etc,Pottery, huts etc), Situated in Raichur district-Vatgal(Storing ditch, terracottas, pottery, pot/urn burial etc), Situated in Dharwad district-Hallur (millet, huts etc),Situated in Bellary district-Tekkalkota (Agricultural |
Remains-gram, small grained pulse, kulthi, finger millet (raagi) etc, Animal remains—sheep, goat, cow, ox,buffalo, pig etc, remains of huts etc), Situated in Bellary district Sangankallu (huts etc), Situated in Bellary district-Kupgal (Ash mounds etc), Situated in Chitradurg district-Brahmgiri (Ash mounds, Animal remains-sheep, goat etc, pottery, huts etc), Situated in Mysore district-Hemmige |
|
Tamil Nadu |
Situated in North Arcot district- Paiyyampalli (Agricultural remains-gram, small grained pulse, kulthi, finger millet (raagi) etc, Animal remains- sheep, goat, cow, ox, buffalo, pig, etc.) |
Note: in the mid regions of Bolan river valley of Uttar Pradesh and Narmada river valley of Madhya Pradesh, three consecutive stages of lithic age- Paleolithic, Mesolithic & Neolithic had been found one by one that is consistently.
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