Prehistoric Ages and Geographical Sites

Prehistoric Ages and Geographical Sites, Story of Burzahom and Mehrgarh.

The Prehistoric Age, or when human life existed without any record of human activity, roughly dates back from 2.5 million years ago to 1,200 B.C. Generally, it is characterised into three archaeological periods: the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Studying the prehistoric ages and geographical sites is vital for UPSC aspirants preparing for their prelims. 

The Stone Age is characterised by the creation and use of stone tools. It is divided into three distinct periods, the Palaeolithic period, Mesolithic period, and Neolithic period, depending on the degree of sophistication in approaching and using the stone tools. 

Stone Age

The Stone Age refers to the prehistoric period. It is the era before the development of the script. Thus, the primary source of information for this period is archaeological excavations.

The Indian Stone Age is categorised into three main prehistoric ages and geographical sites. This classification is based on geological age, subsistence base, and type and technology of stone tools. They include:

1. Palaeolithic period – From 500,000 to 10,000 BCE
2. Mesolithic period – From 10,000 to 6,000 BCE
3. Neolithic period – From 6,000 to 1,000 BCE

The Palaeolithic Age is also known as the old Stone Age. The Mesolithic Age is also the late Stone Age, and the Neolithic Age is the new Stone Age. 

Palaeolithic Period

The first study of the prehistoric ages and geographical sites from the Stone Age is the Palaeolithic age. Palaeolithic derives its name from two Greek words, ‘paleo’ meaning old and ‘lithic’ meaning stone. Thus, the Palaeolithic age is the old Stone Age. It developed in the Ice Age or Pleistocene period. Human or plant life could not survive during this age since the earth was covered with ice and the weather was extremely cold. It was only in the tropical region, where ice melted, that the earliest species of men could exist. 

This age is further divided into three phases based on the changes in climate and the stone tools used. The division is as follows:

(i) Lower Palaeolithic Age (Early Old Stone Age)

(ii) Middle Palaeolithic Age (Middle Old Stone Age)

(iii) Upper Palaeolithic Age (Upper Old Stone Age)

Characteristics of the Palaeolithic Period

1. It is believed that Indian people belonged to the ‘Negrito’ race. They lived in the river valleys, rock shelters, open-air, and caves. 
2. They ate wild fruits and vegetables and survived hunting. 
3. They did not know much about agriculture, pottery, and houses. They discovered the fire at later stages. 
4. The upper Palaeolithic age shows traces of art in the form of paintings. 
5. Individuals used unpolished, rough stones such as hand choppers, bruins, axes, scrapers, and blades.

Important Sites

Indian sites

• Sohan valley (Present day Pakistan)
• Belan valley (Uttar Pradesh)
• Narmada valley
• Kashmir
• Punjab
• Rajasthan (Thar Desert)

World sites

• Western Europe
• Africa

Mesolithic Period

Mesolithic derives its name from the Greek words ‘meso’ and ‘lithic’. Meso means middle, and lithic means stone. The Mesolithic material culture is marked by more significant innovation and diversity than the Palaeolithic age. It saw some new chipped stone tools like microliths and very small stone tools. These were used for mounting together on a shaft to create an indented edge. Another innovation observed in some Mesolithic groups was polished stone. 

The Mesolithic and Neolithic phases are from the Holocene era. During this period, the temperature increased, the climate became warmer, leading to the melting of ice. Moreover, it brought changes in flora and fauna. 

Characteristics of the Mesolithic Period

1. Mesolithic cultures developed diverse local adaptations to special environments. 
2. The people were food gatherers and lived on hunting and fishing. They later began domesticating animals and cultivating plants, creating agriculture. 
3. The wild ancestor of the dog was the first animal to be domesticated. The most common domesticated animals were the sheep and goats. 
4. People in this era buried the dead with food items and more goods due to their belief in life after death. 
5. During this period, the first human colonisation of the Gangetic plains happened. 
6. Men started wearing clothes made from animal skin in this period.
7. People lived in semi-permanent settlements as well as open grounds and occupied caves. 
8. Mesolithic people loved art and started practising rock art. These paintings depicted wild animals and hunting scenes. They also showed dancing and food collection. The rock paintings showcased the development of religious practises and highlighted the division of labour based on gender. 

Important Sites

Indian sites

• Langhnaj (Gujarat): The earliest evidence found for this site is the burial of the dead. 
• Adamgarh (Madhya Pradesh): Domestication of animals is the earliest evidence. 
• Bagaur (Rajasthan): It had evidence of a microlithic industry. 

Neolithic Period

The third of the prehistoric ages and geographical sites of the Stone Age is the Neolithic Age. The term Neolithic is of Greek origin. The word ‘neo’ refers to new, while ‘lithic’ refers to stone. The period introduced many vital changes in man’s economic and social life. At this age, men turned into food producers from food gatherers. 

Characteristics of the Neolithic Period

1. People started cultivating land and growing fruits and corn. Moreover, they began domesticating sheep, cattle, and goats. 
2. They used Microlithic blades along with tools made of polished stones. Tools and weapons made from bones were also commonly used. These tools included borers, scrapers, arrowheads, needles, etc. 
3. Neolithic people settled in circular or rectangular houses made using reeds and mud. These men could spin wool, cotton, and weave cloth. They knew how to make boats. 
4. As agricultural activities started, people needed to store food grains, cook food, eat the product, etc. Thus, during this phase, pottery began on a large scale. People classified pottery under black-burnished ware, mat impressed ware, and grayware. 

Important Sites

Indian sites

• Burzahom
• Gufkral
• Chirand
• South of Godavari river
• Hills of Assam, Garo hills
• Hallur, Maski, Brahmagiri, Takkalkota
• Piklihal (Andhra Pradesh)
• Mehrgarh
• Northern spurs of Vindhyas in Mirzapur and Allahabad
• Paiyampalli
• Untur

Conclusion

To cope with the massive time spans, archaeologists typically split prehistory into three major periods: the Stone, Bronze, and Iron ages, which are called after the dominant technologies at the time. The prehistoric period encompasses the millions of years that passed before humans started to make written records of their lives and the environment in which they lived.