Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Ancient Indian History-2

The Mesolithic Era History (8000 BC – 6000 BC) :

• In this age, climate became warm and dry. Climate changes brought about changes in fauna and flora and made
it possible for human beings to move to new areas. Since then, there haven’t been major changes in the climate.
• The characteristic tools of the Mesolithic Age are known as Microliths-pointed, cresconic blades, scrapers, etc, all
made of stone.
• The people lived on hunting, fishing and food gathering; at a later stage they also domesticated animals.
• The last phase of this age saw the beginning of plane cultivation.
• Various Mesolithic sites are found in the Chhotanagpur region, Central India and also south of the Krishna River.
• In the Belan valley of Vindhyas, all the three phases of the Paleolithic followed by the Mesolithic and then by the
Neolithic have been found in sequence. Similar is the case with the middle part of the Narmada valley.

The History of Neolithic Era (6000 BC – 1000 BC) :

• In India Neolithic Age is not earlier than 6000 BC and at some places in South and Eastern India; it is as late as
1000 BC.
• During this phase people were again depending on stone implements. But now they used stones other than
quartzite for making tools, which were more lethal, more finished and more polished.
• Neolithic men cultivated land and grew fruits and corn like ragi and horse gram. They domesticated cattle, sheep
and goat.
• They knew about making fire and making pottery, first by hand and then by potters wheel. They also painted and
decorated their pottery.
• They lived in caves and decorated their walls with hunting and dancing scenes. They also knew the art of making
boats. They could also weave cotton and wool to make cloth.
• In the later phase of Neolithic phase people led a more settled life and lived in circular and rectangular houses
made of mud and reed.
• Important sites of this age are Burzahom and Gufkral in J&K (famous for pit dwelling, stone tools and graveyard in
house), Maski, Brahmagiri, Tekkalakota in Karnataka, Paiyampatti in Tamil Nadu, Piklihal and Hallur in AP, Garo
hils in Meghalaya, Chirand and Senuwar in Bihar (known for remarkable bone tools), Amri, Kotdiji, etc.
• Koldihawa in UP revealed a three fold cultural sequence: Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Iron Age.

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