Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

ARCHAEOLOGY

lithic) period are executed in red and white colours and occasionally in green and yellow also. The animals represented are the ele- phant, rhino, tiger, Indian bison and gaur which have disappeared from the region now. Others like cattle, antelope and black buck do survive. The tools of the Mesolithic people were of stone and bone. Composite tools made of geometric and non-geometric microliths were in use. Lunates, trapezes and triangles are the major types in

Two periods in the paintings in rock-shelters can be distin- guished : (1) hunting scenes and trapping of animals and their movements form the subject matter of early paintings. (2) The later paintings of the historical period in the same rock-shelters depict processions of men riding horses and elephants, battle scenes and use of bows, arrows and spears. During this period the men and animals are stylized. The paintings of the Early (Meso-

geometric tools. In Birbhanpur crescents made on flakes are no- ticeable. The Teri industry of Thirunnevelly District associated with discoid scrapers has an ear- lier origin. The Bagor geometric microliths survived long enough and the users must have come in contact with the Harappan settlers as is evident from the presence of a copper awl and arrow head and a barbed stove arrowhead compa- rable to similar ones in copper in Harappan sites. At Langhnaj a copper knife suggests contact with settled agricultural communities using copper. Bhimbhetaka has yielded Malwa painted pottery of chalcolithic period while at Lekha- nia iron arrowhead and plain ce- ramic ware are found. Bhimbhetaka is the earliest Mesolithic site datable to 7790± 220 B.P. by 14C dating method. Bagor Phase I is dated 6430±200 B.P. Phase II of Bagor is dated 4700 ±105 B.P. and the upper level of Bhimbhetaka is assignable to 3000 to 2000 BP. The beginning of Mesolithic in India is assignable to 8000 B.P. and the end to 2000 B.P. by which time the use of stone tools was discarded although hunt- ing and food-gathering continue even today in some remote areas. The Neolithic culture is noted for the use of new stone tools es- pecially polished stone axes/jbut what is more important is the emergence of permanent agricul- tural settlements, domestication of animals and cultivation of cereals and legumes. Among palaeobiotic factors Neolithic man’s exploita- tion of animal leading to domesti- cation is traced through random predation, controlled predation, Date Neolithic Culture

CHALCOLITHIC AND NEOLITHIC SITES OF INDIA

CHALCOLITHIC SITES

1. Indus system — 1. Mohenjodaro; 2. Harappa; 3. Rupar; 4. Suratgarh: 5. Hanumangarh; 6. Chanhudaro; 7. Jhukar; 8. Amri; 9. Jhangar; II Ganges System — I. Kausambi; 2. Alamgirpur; III Brahmputra System; IV Mahanadi System; V Chambal System — 1. Pseva; 2. Nagda; 3. Paramar-Kheri; 4. Tungni; 5. Metwa; 6. Takraoda; 7. Bhilsuri; 8. Maori; 9. Ghata-Bilod; 10. Betwa; 11. Bilawali; 12. Ashta; VI Rajputana-Saurashtra — 1. Rangpur; 2. Ahar; 3. Prabhas Patan; 4. Lakhabawal; 5. Lothal; 6. Pithadia; 7. Rojdi; 8. Adkot; VII Narbada System -- 1. Navdatoli; 2. Maheshwar; 3. Bhagatrav; 4. Telod; 5. Mehgam; 6. Hasanpur; VIII Tapi System — 1. Prakashe; 2. Bahai; IX Godavari-Pravara System — 1. Jorwe; 2. Nasik; 3. Kopargaon; 4. Nevasa; 5. Daimabad; X Bhima System — 1. Koregaon; 2. Chandoli; 3. Umbraj; 4. Chanegaon; 5. Anachi: 6. Hingni; 7. Nagarhalli; XI Karnatak — 1. Brahmgiri; 2. Piklihal; 3. Maski. Fig : 6 -- Chalcolithic and Neolithic sites of India