Main Characteristics of Paleolithic Age

This significant period can be studied on the basis of the division into three specific eras:

• Lower Paleolithic: The period of this phase was till 100,000BC, and there were some sites found in different parts of India such as Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir, etc.
• Middle Paleolithic: This phase commenced from 100,000BC and existed till 40,000BC. This is the time when the Nomadic style of life was practised.
• Upper Paleolithic: The location that gave the evidence of this era were found in central parts of Madhya Pradesh, southern areas of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, plateau region of Southern Bihar, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. The period was from 40,000BC to 8000 BC.

Characteristics 

• It is believed that Indians belong to the races of Negrito, and they live in open areas, caves, shelters made up of rocks and stones and around river valleys, and the Nomadic style of life was practised by them.
• They used to gather food. Wild fruits were their main edible along with vegetables. They also used simple tools so that they could hunt and live.
• They have no prior knowledge of residences, pottery, and agriculture, but later they introduced fire.
• People in the upper age of the Paleolithic used to make art forms like paintings and wall cravings.
• They also make use of rough and hard stones like choppers, bruins, axes, blades, and scrapers.
• Since the people used Quartzite, which is a hard rock for making tools and weapons, that is why they are also known as Quartzite men.

Lower Paleolithic Age 

It is seen that the Nomadic style of life was practised by early humans and their existence and was mostly found in Africa and Western parts of Europe. The Lower Paleolithic epoch was not carried by any human tribe, but many researchers believe it was brought about by Neanderthal kind of Philanthropic men, and this was the third phase of hominid development.

Because stone tools are plentiful around river valleys, people sought to dwell near water sources. The primary tool production also includes the oldest stone tools that began during this time period, and it was known as the Oldowancustom, which relates to a type of stone instrument manufacturing by Hominids. Eoliths, or splintered stones, are thought to be the oldest tools, and the Nomadic style of life was practised.

Small and large scrapers, hammering rocks, choppers, serrated blades, and other tools were used to make these tools. These prehistoric hunters and gatherers used hand axes and choppers as their primary equipment. Cleavers and hand knives were the most common tools used in the Lower Paleolithic epoch. Cutting, excavating, and peeling the prey were the primary functions of these instruments. These tools were discovered in Mirzapur’s Belan Valley, Rajasthan’s Didwana, the Narmada Valley, and Bhimbetka’s Bhimbetka in Bhopal.

Middle Paleolithic Age

It was mostly linked with Neanderthals, an early type of man whose remains are usually encountered in caves with indications of fire use. He acquired his title from the Neander Valley (Germany).

Neanderthal was a prehistoric hunter. The Middle Paleolithic human was a scavenger. The Nomadic style of life was practised, although there were minimal signs of hunting and collecting. Before being buried, the dead were painted. 

Flakes were employed to form points, bores, and scrapers, among other things, in tools of this era. During this time, there is also a simple pebble business. The stones discovered were named microliths because they were so little. The flake tradition is represented by stone implements from this time period. For instance, needles were used to sew animal skins and hides used as build covers.

Upper Paleolithic Age

In the international context, it was marked by the newer flint crafts and Homo Sapiens. This was the final period of the Paleolithic Age when the Upper Paleolithic civilization emerged.

This period lasted around a tenth of the entire Paleolithic Period, but it was at this time that primitive man achieved the most cultural advancement. The culture is known as Osteodontokeratic, which refers to implements composed of skeletons, jaws, and horns, and the Nomadic style of life was practised.

Huge flake propellers, chisels, and bruins were the most common tools of the time. This man’s lifestyle was similar to that of Neanderthals and Homo erectus, and the tools he used were still basic and unrefined at the time.

There is evidence of the initial advent of bone artifacts and the very first art form in Africa. The first indication of fishing can also be found in sites like Blombos Cave in the area of South Africa, which is based on artifacts. The usage of sharpened fine-edged cutting tools, as well as pestles and mortars for grain grinding, and the Nomadic style of life was practice became commonplace.

Conclusion

Paleolithic peoples predominantly employed hand-axes and used simple tools as weapons, which they used for both hunting and defense. This housed the primary tool culture, which included tools fashioned by chipping stone to create a cutting edge.

Because they lived near mountainous places, caves, streams, and rock shelters, the Paleolithic people were completely reliant on stone weapons and equipment. The early era man was a nomad who didn’t know how to build a house or farm, and the Nomadic style of life was practised by those beings. As a result, they lived in cliffs and caves, with no group life.