• The end of the Neolithic period was characterised by the usage of metals. 
  • The basis of several cultures was the use of metals like copper and stone implements. Such a culture was given the name Chalcolithic, which essentially means the copper-stone phase. 
  • These cultures came up after the Bronze Age Harappa culture. The Ahar (Banas valley, South Eastern Rajasthan) is one of the finest examples of Chalcolithic cultures in India. 
  • Other popular Chalcolithic cultures were Daimabad and Navdatoli (on Narmada). 
  • Keep on reading to learn about the Chalcolithic Settlements in India in detail, including the cultures of Ahar (Banas valley, South Eastern Rajasthan), Daimabad, and Navdatoli.

Understanding the Chalcolithic Culture

  • The end of the Neolithic period was characterised by the emergence of the usage of metals. 
  • The use of copper and stone implements was something that became common to all cultures. Such cultures were known as Chalcolithic cultures. 
  • A popular example of such cultures in India was the Ahar (Banas valley, South Eastern Rajasthan) culture.
  • The word Chalcolithic indicates copper and stone, as can be seen below:

Chalco=Copper

Lithic=Stone

  • During this period, there was a utilisation of both metal and stone for the manufacturing of the equipment in regular daily life. 
  • These cultures came up following the Bronze Age Harappa culture. Their timing was somewhere around 2500 BC to 700 BC.

Characteristics of Chalcolithic Settlements in India

  • The people mostly resided in rural settlements.
  • The Chalcolithic people lived mostly near hills and rivers.
  • Their primary activities for survival were farming, fishing, and hunting
  • There were several regional differences in the social structure of the Chalcolithic people. Moreover, these differences were also noticeable in cereals and pottery.
  • The main reasons for the origin of differences among Chalcolithic cultures were migration and diffusion of population groups.
  • The Chalcolithic period is also known by experts as the first metal age in India. This is because there was heavy usage of copper and bronze during this era. This way, various useful products were produced.
  • Wheel-made pottery was a specialty of the Chalcolithic peoples and cultures. Besides this, the Chalcolithic people used different types of pottery.

Ahar (Banas valley, South Eastern Rajasthan)

  • The Ahar (Banas valley, South Eastern Rajasthan) culture is also known as the Banas culture. 
  • It is a Chalcolithic archaeological settlement or culture that was located on the banks of the Ahar River in the Indian state of Rajasthan. 
  • This culture lasted from c. 3000 to 1500 BCE, according to the estimates of archaeologists.
  • Its location was adjacent to the location of the great civilization of Indus Valley. 
  • The people of this Ahar culture learned to exploit the copper ores of the Aravalli Range, which was close by.  This way, they began to prepare axes, weapons, and artefacts.

Daimabad (Ahmednagar, Maharashtra)

  • Daimabad is a deserted village that was located on the bank of the Pravara River in the Indian state of Maharashtra. 
  • The discovery of this archaeological site is attributed to B. P. Bopardikar in 1958. It was another notable Chalcolithic settlement in India that was excavated by the teams of the Archaeological Survey of India.
  • These discoveries of Daimabad (Ahmednagar, Maharashtra) provide us with an indication of the assimilation of the Late Harappan culture into the Indian Deccan region. This place is popular for the discovery of items of bronze.

Navdatoli (on Narmada)

  • Navadatoli is a village in the Maheshwar tehsil region in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is another worthy Chalcolithic site in India that was discovered in 1950. 
  • Pottery and microliths were the main characteristics of the Navdatoli (on Narmada) settlement.
  • Archaeologists due to their explorations of this site have come to the conclusion of the presence of various cultures pertaining to the Lower Palaeolithic era at Navdatoli. 
  • Houses during this Navdatoli (on Narmada) settlement had rectangular or circular buildings.  The circumference of these houses was about 3 m, and they had bamboo roofs and walls.

Conclusion

The end of the Neolithic period saw the usage and influence of metals in life. Such a culture was known as Chalcolithic, in which life was based on using copper and stone implements.  The name Chalcolithic essentially means the copper-stone phase. The duration of this culture was from 2500 BC to 700 BC. This culture had several unique characteristics of its own which separated it from other cultures. The Ahar (Banas valley, South Eastern Rajasthan) was a popular Chalcolithic Settlement in India. The Daimabad (Ahmednagar, Maharashtra) was another famous Chalcolithic settlement, as was Navadatoli on Narmada.