Prehistoric Period of India Friends, history is derived from the Greek word historia, which means inquiry, investigation or past knowledge. We all know that the study of the past is related to past events as well as the research, collection and interpretation related to these events. and for this reason, historical sources play an important role in the reconstruction of history. These sources can be divided into two parts: first, non-literary sources and second, literary sources. These sources include coins, inscriptions, monuments and archaeological remains. According to historians, the study of past is divided into pre-history, proto-history and history. Free history is related to that part of history. When writing was not invented, the available knowledge of this period is based on some other logical evidences like the artifacts of that time, stone tools and metal implements which have been obtained from many prehistoric sites. On the other hand, the era of written evidence along with archaeological sources constitutes history. Apart from this, the distance between prehistory and history is known as protohistory, it indicates the time period. Whose return records are available but due to the lack of their script, historians are not able to decode that information. Today we will discuss in detail the pre-historic period of India. This covers the time period from approximately 20000 AD to 350 to 2500 AD. It is believed that in this early period, Indian humans were of the primitive order and used to earn their living through activities like hunting and gathering. In the later phases of pre-historic times, humans gradually progressed towards settled life.
So let us understand this foundation of human history in detail. Further historical evidence has been found in India from the free historic period where stone tools are found in the largest number. It is likely that people made and used tools and weapons from stone, wood, and bone. Of these, stone tools are the best preserved till date. That is why this age is called Lithuanian or Stone Age. On the basis of geological age, types of stone tools and lifestyle of prehistoric people, Stone Age has been classified into three main types. First is Paleolithic Age i.e. Old Stone Age, second is Major Lithuanian Age i.e. Middle Stone Age and third is Neolithic i.e. New Stone Age. Let us understand this age in detail which was between 30 hundred thousand PC to 10000 AD. Mani means old and lithos means Stone, and thus the name, reflects the importance of stone tools. This long period of the Paleolithic period covers 99% of human history. The discovery of the first archaeological evidence of the Paleolithic period in India is credited to Robert Drudge, a geologist of the Geographical Survey of India. He discovered the Pallavaram mound in the Pallavapuram district of Tamil Nadu state in 1863. For this reason, he is also known as the Father of Pre-Historic Archaeology. Friends, on the basis of stone tools used by ancient people and the difference in climate, this era has been divided into three phases. The first phase is Lower Liddhicase which covers the period from 300000 BC to 100 thousand AD. This period was of the IJP and the humans of this period were mainly hunters and gatherers. According to researchers, humans at that time also used unpolished, rough and heavy stone tools like hand chisels, choppers and cleavers. Bori, a small town in the state of Maharashtra, is one of the oldest Lower Paleolithic sites. Apart from this, many sites have been found in the Didwana Desert area of Kashmir, Rajasthan and the Thar Desert. Because stone tools were important in this era, people tried to find such places where good quality stone was easily available. Ancient people used to make stone tools at such sites and these places were known as factory sites. These also include caves and shelters. Where people used to take shelter for long periods, these came to be known as Habitation cum Factory Sites. People chose natural caves because these provided shelter from rain, heat and strong winds. Natural caves and shelters are found in the Vindhyas and Deccan Plateaus. These rock shelters are near the Narmada Valley. Bhimbetka Caves and Rock Shelters in Madhya Pradesh are an important example of these sites. Various types of stone tools from this distance have also been found in the Belan Valley of Uttar Pradesh.
which is located in the Vindhyas foothills. Further evidence of lower rib lytic activity is also found in Nagarjuna Condom in Andhra Pradesh. Other important sites in this area include the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, the Deccan Plateau and Chhuttan Nagpur. Now let’s talk about The second phase, the Middle Paleolithic, lasted from 10,000 BCE to 40,000 BCE. Friends, in the Middle Paleolithic era, humans began making sharp and pointed tools like flake blades and pointers. They used these tools for butchering small animals and for meat cutting. Compared to the Lower Paleolithic era, the tools of this era were smaller, lighter, and thinner. Remains of this era are found at many places along the banks of the Narmada River and also at many places south of the Tungabhadra River. Apart from this, Luni Caves of Rajasthan, Belan Caves of UP and Bhimbetka Caves of MP are also included in the main sites of this period. The third phase is Apaar which was the period from 40000 BC to 10000 AD. Friends, if one were to insert the Paleolithic period with the last phase of the later period, when the climate was comparatively warmer and humidity had reduced, this period is consider to be the symbol of the presence of modern people. With this period, the modern human being species i.e. Homo sapiens emerged. Technological Development is seen in the stone tools of this period. Tools like needles, fishing tools, parallel-sided blades and boring tools were invented during this period. In India, blades and flakes were found in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, MP, Sagwara, UP, Jharkhand and surrounding areas. In the immense levels of Gujarat sand dunes, tools like blades, scrapers and flecks were also found. Along with this, bone tools have been listed on the website of Kurnool and Maintal Chintamani Gavi of Andhra Pradesh, so friends, till now we have understood the Paleolithic period, from about 12000 AD to 10000 AD, which witnessed climate change, with this time the Mesolithic period started, due to increase in temperature and climate change, there were many changes in melting and flora fauna and along with this, advancement was also seen in the lifestyle of humans and the tools used in their use, let’s take a look. Mesolithic further characteristics Mesolithic further 10000 AD 26000 AD The word Mesolithic is derived from two Greek words meso and lithosi which means stone, we have already understood that meso means The Middle Ages, hence the Early History, are also known as the Middle Stone Age. The Mesolithic culture is known for its greater variety and variety of patterns than the Paleolithic. The first human colonization of the Gangetic plains occurred during this period. Microlips were the most prominent tool of this era. Microlips were a type of miniature stone tools. These microlips were typically made of cryptocrystalline or finely ground green rock. These microlips were used by humans to hunt small animals and birds. They were also used to make composite tools for purposes such as plant gathering, harvesting, grazing, etc. Micro leads and other Mesolithic tools were first discovered in rock shelters in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh. Furthermore, the Bagor region of Rajasthan is one of the largest documented Megalithic sites, located on the Bag and Kothari rivers, where excavations have yielded animal bones and carcasses along with micro leads. These micro leads have also been found in some valleys of the Tapti, Sabarmati, Narmada and Mahi rivers. As we saw earlier, the Mesolithic era began with climate change. Due to the increase in temperature, grasslands started developing in many areas, as a result of which the number of deer, antelope, cow, sheep and cattle i.e. grass-fed animals increased. Where till now humans were living as hunter-gatherers, now they started learning animal domestication, their food habits and breeding seasons increased. The oldest evidence of animal domestication is found in Azamgarh, Madhya Pradesh. The first domesticated animal was the wild dog. Apart from this, sheep and goat were the most common pets. Mesolithic humans also started wearing clothes made of animal skins. Along with this, the Mesolithic further progressed when many other grains including wheat and rice started growing naturally in different parts of the subcontinent. Apart from this, Mesolithic people were also avid lovers and they started making rock paintings. The themes of these paintings mostly depict activities like hunting wild animals and dancing.
There are about 150 Mesolithic rock art sites across India. Contrary to myths, people of this era believed in life after death and hence they started the ritual of burying human and animal dead bodies along with food items and other objects. Lingaraja in Gujarat and Burhanpur in West Bengal are also important Mesolithic sites. A large number of microlithic remains along with skeletons of wild animals like Rhinoceros and Blackberg’s Bones and humans have been recovered from the site. Friends, after the Mesolithic period, the last phase of the Stone Age from 6000 AD to 1000 AD is known as the Neolithic period. Let us look at the characteristics of the New Stone Age period. New Stone Age 6000 AD to 21000 AD. The word Neolithic is derived from the Greek word neon, thus the Neolithic era refers to new life. The famous Gordon Childe has written in his book Mother in a Sim Self that the Neolithic era brought about a revolution in the life of humans. This revolution was named Neolithic Revolution by him. Thus, we saw that in the Paleolithic era, humans were completely dependent on nature and hunter-gatherers, and in the Mesolithic era, humans were Animal domestication began in the Neolithic period. In the chain of change and modernization, humans evolved from food gatherers to food producers. The Neolithic period is significant for the beginning of agriculture. The sites near and near the Indus Valley Civilization provide the oldest evidence of rice cultivation not only in India but in the entire world. Unlike the Old Stone Age, people in this period appear to have become more refined, using polished stone tools and axes rather than crude flakes. They also used tools made of bone, such as needles, scrapers, bows, saws, headscarves, etc. The use of new polished tools made farming, hunting, and other occupations easier for humans. Weapons made of bone have been found from the Chirag side of Bihar. If we talk about agriculture, the Neolithic people cultivated ragi, cotton, rice, wheat, barley, horse gram, along with fruits. Domesticated animals included cattle and jaggery. The Murjha home site of Kashmir once dominated the domestication of agriculture. Other evidence of this society has been found from the Maski and Brahmagiri sites of Karnataka. With the beginning of domestication of plants and animals, food grains and animal food started being produced in large quantities and pottery making started for storing the produced input grains and cooked food. Thus, pottery first appeared in the Neolithic period. The pottery of this era is classified under Grey Black Burnished Ware and Metal Impressed Ware. In the initial stage, handmade pottery was made but later with the invention of foot wheels, these people had also learnt to make cotton and wool clothes. The oldest evidence of cotton was found at the Mehrgarh site, currently located in Pakistan. Neolithic people lived in rectangular and circular houses made of mud, thus laying the foundations of the first settled society and earliest Indian village in the Neolithic period. Evidence of pit dwellings in Kashmir Valley suggests that Neolithic people lived in pits. However, even during this period, people did not live far from mountainous areas and river valleys, as they still relied entirely on stone tools and weapons. Furthermore, they obtained natural resources from nature for agriculture, pottery, and animal domestication. The end of the Neolithic period also marked the end of the stone age, and during this period, many cultures began using metal, mostly copper and low-grade bronze. This culture, based on the use of metal, came to be known as the Chalcolithic, or Copperstone Frieze. Its largest metal, Chalcolithic, was discovered around 2000 BC. 2500 AD This colour was mainly found in the Early Harappan phase where animal rearing and settlements began to emerge, but in many places it also extended to the Post Harappan phase. It represents the transition period between the Kes and Harappan phases, from which the gradual evolution of the Harappan civilization can be understood. In this era, tools like copper were used for making tools. Houses of this era were made of stones and mud bricks and people were not yet familiar with burnt bricks. However, the Gilund site in Rajasthan is the only place from where some remains of burnt bricks have been found. The culture of Chalcolithic Society was not urban and they are considered to be a village society. This era also marked the beginning of social inequalities. While villagers lived in rectangular-shaped houses, the general public lived in small, round huts. In addition to houses, the barriers of this era also came in a variety of forms, ranging from single barrels to small box-shaped barriers and rock tombs. People buried dead bodies, along with pots and copper objects, on the floors of their homes in a north-south direction. Evidence of a large number of young children being buried in barriers discovered in western Maharashtra indicates a high infant mortality rate during the Neolithic era. This era saw a rise in arts and crafts, including coppersmiths and stoneworkers. They also mastered spinning, weaving, and cloth manufacturing, although they did not yet know the art of writing. Polychrome painted pottery was a key characteristic of the Neolithic era. Black and red pottery was very popular during this era. Their colored pottery was also popular in the regions of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh. Along with this, people also witnessed the development of these pottery. Women of this era were also fond of ornaments. They also made necklaces for wearing jewellery made of stone and bronze. Charcoal is known for many cultures. These cultures are named after their geographical location, such as the Ahar or Banas culture located in south-eastern Rajasthan, which is derived from the Banaras valley in which most of the sites of this culture are located. It is one of the oldest movable lithic colors in India. Major export sites of this color are located in Udaipur, Bhilwara and Rajsamand districts.
Evidence of stone age and rice cultivation has been found here, along with evidence of a rich ceramic tradition. The next major stone age site is the Te Tha Kala, located in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. It is situated on the banks of the Kali Singh, a tributary of the Chambal River. The most prominent stone age site in Central India is the Malwa Kala, spread throughout the Malwa region along the banks of the Narmada River. Food grains such as sorghum, rice, legumes, and wolf figurines made of terracotta have also been recovered here. The Jorwa Kala in Western Maharashtra, located on the banks of the Pravara River, is a major stone age site in the Daimabad area of Ahmednagar. Bronze objects such as elephants, rhinoceroses, wheels, and charriots have been recovered here. Other major sites include Chirag in Bihar, Nevada in Madhya Pradesh, Rangpur in Gujarat, and Imamgaon and Nashik in Maharashtra. Together, the Late Stone Age sites in India demonstrate regional diversity. So far, we have studied the different phases of stone age. The common feature in all these periods is stone age. And tools, that is, stones were used to make tools or weapons. But around 1000 AD, another period emerged in India where, apart from tools, stones were used to make barriers and memorials, that is, tombs and monuments. And this period is called Megalithic Period. Let us look at it in a little detail. Megalithic Period 12500 AD. Megalithic literally means Big Stones and in this period, burials or memorials were constructed using a single large stone. These megalithic structures can be divided into two categories, one is polylithic type and the other is monolithic type. More than one stone was used to build polylithic structures. Monolithic structures used only a single stone. Although these structures have been found in many places in India, the Megalithic colour is particularly characteristic of Southern India. In South India, a large number of different types of Megalithic graves and memorials have been found, including the Maahar Megalithic materials in the Mansi and Gulbarga regions of Karnataka; the Foodstone Memorials of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala; the Umbrella Stone Grave of Kerala. Furthermore, materials from Karnataka and the Dolmen Shaved Tombs in the Junglepattu region of Tamil Nadu; and the Rocket Cave Memorial of Cochin. In North India, such monuments have been found in Vastu and Bara in Kashmir, as well as in the Banda, Allahabad, Mirzapur, and Varanasi districts of Uttar Pradesh. In Maharashtra, most of the monuments are located in the Vidarbha region. Explorers found some common features in all these burials: dead bodies were usually buried in red and blackened airon. Iron tools, weapons, and stone and gold ornaments were also found. Skeletons of horses and horses were also found in some burials. Equipment was found, sometimes domestic animals like buffalo, sheep and goat. For example, at the Brahmagiri site in Karnataka, 33 gold bits and stones were found along with the skeleton. On the other hand, only a few parts were found at Nikon site. These items found with the skeleton might have been related to the dead. These discoveries have revealed that there was a difference in social status among the people buried there. Some were rich, some were poor, some were chiefs, some were mere commoners. The use of high quality red and black pottery in this era is its special feature. It is interesting to note that black and red pottery was found along with megalithic barriers in both the North and South regions. Some regional variations were definitely seen in these potteries, but there was no major difference in the technique of making them and their decoration. Furthermore, the discovery of these objects suggests that this cultural period may be associated with the Iron Age. Archaeological evidence suggests that iron began to be widely used in India between 1000 AD and 500 AD. Iron tools and weapons became common during this period, and dated literature also began to be written. Thus, the Megalithic Iron Age marks a transitional phase between the end of prehistoric times and the beginning of prehistoric times. Conclusion: India’s prehistoric era included the Stone Age, the Carboniferous Age, and the Iron Age. Prehistoric India also saw the emergence of Homo sapiens. Concluding this discussion, we can say that prehistoric times refer to the gradual and fundamental phases of human evolution and development.
