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It was a transitional period between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic periods of human history. Initially, the people of this age subsisted on hunting, fishing, and foraging for food, but as time went on, they domesticated animals and cultivated plants, opening the way for the development of agricultural practices.
The type of tool employed today differs from that employed during the Paleolithic Era. Mesolithic tools were mainly composite devices made from small chipped stone tools known as microliths and retouched bladelets, which were arranged in a pattern. The Paleolithic period employed more crude stone treatments, whereas the Neolithic period mostly employed polished stone tools rather than chipped stones.
The Mesolithic man began to dress in clothing made of animal skins at this time. Mesolithic sites in India include Bagore in Rajasthan, Morhana Pahar in Uttar Pradesh, and the coastal plains of Odisha, to name a few.
Mesolithic Age Time Period
- The Mesolithic period in Northern and Western Europe lasted from 10,000 to 4,000 BC
- During the time period of 10,000 to 5,500 BC, it persisted across Central Europe
- During the time period of 10,000 to 6,000 BC, it persisted in East Asia
- In Southeast Europe, it lasted from 10,000 to 7,000 years before the present day
- It lasted from 10,000 to 8,000 BC in the Middle East and other parts of the world
- It lasted approximately 9000 B.C. to 4000 B.C. in Indian history
Salient Features of Mesolithic Age in India
- The Mesolithic people lived in settlements that were both semi-permanent and transient in nature. As a result, the domestication of animals, horticulture, and early agriculture were all introduced
- It was during the final period of this era that the first signs of plain cultivation appeared. During this period, they resorted to a limited degree of pastoralism and a bare minimum of commercial activity
- Despite the fact that pottery was absent from the majority of Mesolithic sites, it has been discovered in Langhnaj (Gujarat) and the Kaimur region of Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh)
- Sites such as Adamgarh, Bhimbetka, Mirzapur, and Pratapgarh, which date back to the Mesolithic period, are notable for their extensive art and paintings. A large number of these depictions feature animals as their subjects, with deer or antelope being the most frequently shown, while tigers and monkeys are more unusual
- The bones of wild animals (rhinoceros) have been discovered in Langhnaj’s excavations. A number of human skeletons, as well as a considerable quantity of Microliths, have been discovered in these locations
The indigenous Mesolithic populations were hesitant to adapt to the agricultural way of life, with only the use of earthenware as a means of commencing the process. It took them a thousand years into the Neolithic period before they began to practise animal husbandry (which became particularly important to them) and plant cultivation on a large scale.
Major Indian Sites of Mesolithic Age
- Sarai Nahar Rai
- Godavari basin
- Orissa
- Andhra Pradesh
- Kerala
- Adamgarh and Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh
- Vindhya
- Langhnaj in Gujarat
- Bagor in Rajasthan
Characteristics of Various Locations
Bagor:
- Located in Rajasthan
- Hunting and pastoralism were the main sources of income for its residents, who also possessed a microlithic industry
Adamgarh:
- Located in Madhya Pradesh
- It demonstrates the earliest evidence of animal domestication yet discovered
Bhimbetka
- Located in Madhya Pradesh
- There are more than 500 painted rock shelters on this site
Langhnaj:
- Located in Gujarat
- It has the earliest evidence of the interment of the dead
Mohrana Pahara:
- Located in Uttar Pradesh
- Provides the oldest proof of a burial site’s existence.
Tools of Mesolithic Age
- Microliths are Mesolithic tools that are smaller in size and better in finishing (more geometric) than the tools of the Paleolithic epoch, and thus are referred to as such. These microliths are little tools with a length ranging from one to five centimeters, which are created by blunting one or more sides with a severe retouch
- Main tool kinds include blades with a back and blades that are obliquely truncated. Other tool types include points, crescents, triangles, and trapezes
- Some of the microliths were employed as components of spearheads, arrowheads, knives, sickles, harpoons, and daggers, among other weapons. Others were used as decorative elements
- Naturally occurring adhesives such as gum and glue were used to hold them together as they were inserted into grooves in bone, wood, and reed shafts
- The use of bow and arrows for hunting has been documented by Mesolithic man in rock art from that time period, indicating that he was a hunter
- These, as well as the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, saw the widespread use of bored stones, which first appeared during the upper Paleolithic and became prevalent during this time period
- These are thought to have been employed as weights in digging sticks and as net sinkers, among other applications. In a similar vein, shallow querns and grinding stones can be found at a number of locations
Conclusion
After approximately 10,000 BC, the environment began to progressively warm up again. Many of the large animals were forced to go north because of the chilly weather. Some animals, such as the mammoth, elk, wooly rhinoceros, and bison, became extinct as a result of human activity. The Netherlands gradually became covered with forests, which were home to a diverse range of animals and plants. These transformations marked the beginning of a new epoch, known as the Middle Stone Age. Archeon’s prehistory began with this era of time, according to the legend.
