PREHISTORIC PERIOD NOTES
- The artefacts from Bori in Maharashtra suggest the appearance of early human beings in India around 1.4 million years ago.
- Early humans used tools of stone. This period is, therefore, known as the Stone Age, which has been divided into
1. The Palaeolithic or Old Stone Age
2. The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age
3. The Neolithic or New Stone Age
4. The Chalcolithic Age or Stone-copper Age
The Palaeolithic Age (5,00,000-9000 BC)
- Palaeolithic men were hunters and food gatherers.
- They had no knowledge of agriculture, or pottery and lived in cave and rock shelters.
- They used tools of unpolished, rough stones. Therefore they are also called Quartzite men.
- Homo Sapiens first appeared in the last phase of this period.
- This age is further divided into three phases : Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. According to the nature of the stone tools used by the people and the changes in the climate and environment.
The Mesolithic Age (9000-6000 BC)
- It was a transitional phase between the Palaeolithic Age and the Neolithic Age.
In this age, the climate became warm and dry which brought about changes in fauna and flora and made it possible for human beings to move to new areas. - The Mesolithic people lived on hunting, fishing and food-gathering. At a later stage, they also domesticated animals.
- The people of the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic ages practised painting.
Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh is a striking site of a pre-historic painting of the Mesolithic age.
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The Neolithic Age (6000-1800 BC)
- The people of this age used tools and implements of polished stone. They particularly used stone axes.
- It is interesting that in Burzahom (Kashmir), domestic dogs were buried with their masters in their graves.
- First use of hand made pottery and potter wheel appears during the Neolithic age. The men lived in caves and decorated their walls with hunting and dancing scenes.
- Neolithic settlers were earliest farming communities. They produced barley, gram and ragi. They domesticated
- cattle, sheeps and goats. They wove cotton and wool to make clothes.
- Main Neolithic sites in India include Burzahom, Machragarh, Daojali Hading, Chirand, Maski, Brahmagiri, Hallur, Piklihal, Utnoor, Nagarjuna konda and paiyampalli.
The Chalcolithic Age (1800BC-1000 BC)
- The chalcolithic culture was based on the use of tools made of stone and copper. Copper was the first metal to be used by man.
- Important Chalcolithic sites in India are Ahar, Kayatha, Malwa, Eran, Rangpur, Navdatoli, Nevasa, Daimabad and Inamgaon.