Prehistoric age in India

The prehistoric age in India dates back to the start of the Stone age or the Paleolithic age and then ends with the Iron age just before the Indus valley civilization. The prehistoric period is roughly dated to be from 200000 BC to around 3500-2500BC when the shaping of the first civilization took place. 

Homo sapiens set foot on the subcontinent of India approximately between 200000 BC to 40000 BC. The prehistoric period in India, also known as the Stone Age can be divided into three major parts :

• Paleolithic
• Mesolithic
• Neolithic

The other major periods in prehistoric India were:

• Chalcolithic( the Copper Age)
• The Iron Age

The Paleolithic Age

The Paleolithic Age is also known as the Old stone age. It dates from 500,00-10,000BCE. During this period, Indians belonged to the ‘Negrito’ race. 

The old stone age can be divided into three parts

• Lower paleolithic age
• Middle paleolithic age
• Upper paleolithic age

These three ages are a part of the old stone age and witnessed differences in the tools as well as belonging to different sides in India. 

Lower paleolithic age

The Lower Paleolithic age was the Ice Age which mainly consisted of hunters and gatherers. Crudely carved out stones were used by people for hunting. The characteristics of the tools used by people in the paleolithic age were very rough and with the end of this period, human beings started making and using fire.  

The major sites where the Paleolithic Age’s evidence are found:

• Bori (Maharashtra)
• Soan Valley (Pakistan)
• Kashmir
• Gujarat
• Saurashtra
• Chotanagar plateau
• Central India
• Belan Valley

2.Middle Paleolithic age 

The Middle Paleolithic Age was part of the old stone age where human beings started making pointed and sharp tools such as flakes, blades, and pointers. They used specialized tools for killing small animals and also for tearing the flesh from dead, hunted animals. 

The major sites where evidence for middle paleolithic age was dated are:

• Belan Valley (UP)
• Luni Valley (Rajasthan)
• Bhimbetka
• Son and Narmada rivers
• Postwar Plateau
• Songhai Cave

3.Upper Paleolithic Age

The case was the last phase of the Ice Age when the climate became comparatively warm. This is when the emergence of Homo Sapiens took place. Along with this many bone tools such as needles, fishing tools, and boring tools were also innovated. One of the major sites for the Upper Paleolithic Age where hand axes, blades, and scrapers have been found was Bhimbetka (South of Bhopal). 

Major sites:

• Belan
• Son 
• Chota Nagpur Plateau
• Orissa
• Maharashtra
• Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh

The Mesolithic Age

The majority cage is also known as the Middle Stone Age where much evidence of hunting and fishing tools were found. The Mesolithic Age dated from 8000 BC to 4000 BC. Microliths (miniature tools made of crypto-crystalline silica) were found. 

People in this middle stone age believed in life after death and also began with semi-permanent settlements. The clothes worn by human beings during this period were made of animal skin. 

The major sites of the Middle Stone Age were:

• Rajasthan(Bogor)
• Azamgarh
• Langhnaj(Gujarat)
• Mirzapur (UP)

The Neolithic Age

The Neolithic Age, also known as the New Stone Age, witnessed the growth of agriculture and pottery. The Neolithic Age dated from 4000 BC to 2500 BC. Along with this, the New Stone Age marked the beginning of civilizations with circular houses built by people. 

The major sites of the Neolithic Age were:

• Koldihwa and Mahagara(Allahabad)
• Mehrgarh(Balochistan, Pakistan)
• Burzahom(Kashmir)
• Chitand(Bihar)
• Belan

The end of the Neolithic age marked the end of The Stone Age. 

The Chalcolithic Age(The Copper Age)

The Chalcolithic age was also referred to as the Copper Age because metals like bronze and copper were used during this period. This Age dated from 1800 BC to 2500 BC. 

The Chalcolithic Age is also known as the Pre-Harappan phase where cattle rearing and rural settlement started taking place. Along with this, there was a growth in art and craft which included the coppersmiths as well as stone workers. 

The Copper Age has witnessed high infant mortality rates with the burial areas as evidence found by our archaeologists in Maharashtra. Clay goddesses and jewelry made of copper or bones were also found. 

The major sites of the Chalcolithic Age were:

• Ahar (Rajasthan)
• Gilland (Rajasthan)
• Malwa (MP)
• Songhai
• Nevada
• Kayatha

The Iron age

The Iron Age from the 19th century brought an end to the Bronze Age. Many weapons were made in this era. The Iron Age lasted from 1500 to 600 BCE. 

The Iron Age witnessed the arrival of Aryans and the Vedic period along with Buddhism and Jainism. People also witnessed the re-urbanized Indus and Ganges Valley civilization which was divided between the 16 greatest powers known as Mahajanapadas.  

Conclusion

The major sites for the Iron Age were found in present-day Northern India. These were the prehistoric ages in India. The prehistoric age of India consisted of the Stone Age, the Copper Age, and the Iron Age. Prehistoric India witnessed the Ice Age and the emergence of Homo Sapiens as well.