Pre-historic Period: Key Sites and Ages

Pre-historic Period Overview

• Categories of History:
  • Pre History: Before the invention of writing (e.g., Stone Age).
  • Proto History: Writing known but undeciphered (e.g., Harappan civilization).
  • Early History: After the invention of writing.

Palaeolithic Age (Lower, Middle, Upper)

• Lower Palaeolithic Age (2,000,000 - 60,000 BP):

  • Early human ancestor: Homo erectus.
  • Oldest fossil: Narmada Man found in Madhya Pradesh (1982).
  • Tools found mainly throughout India except some regions in the Ganges valley and Tamil Nadu.
  • Prominent sites include:
  • River Soan Valley, Punjab (now Pakistan)
  • Belan Valley, UP
  • Athirampakkam, Chennai
  • Hunsgi Valley, Karnataka
  • Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh

• Middle Palaeolithic Age (385,000 - 40,000 BP):

  • First identified site at Pravara River, Nevasa (Maharashtra).
  • Found in regions like Narmada, Godavari, and Krishna.

• Upper Palaeolithic Age (40,000 - 10,000 BP):

  • Notable sites: Meralbhavi (Karnataka), Kurnool caves (Andhra Pradesh), Bhimbetka, and Bhopal.

Mesolithic Age (10,000 - 1,000 BCE)

• Important sites include:
  • Paisra (Bihar)
  • Langhnaj (Gujarat)
  • Baghor II (MP) and several in Uttar Pradesh.

Neolithic Age

• Major sites in:
  • Northwest India: Mehrgarh (Pakistan), and others.
  • Ganges Valley:
    
  • Lehuradeva, Mahagara (Uttar Pradesh)
  • Chirand, Senuwar (Bihar)
  • South India:
    
  • Karnataka: Sanganakallu, Tekkalakota, etc.
  • Andhra Pradesh: Nagarjunakonda.

Chalcolithic Sites

• Important regions include:
  • South-eastern Rajasthan: Ahar, Gilund.
  • Western Madhya Pradesh: Kayatha, Navdatoli.
  • Uttar Pradesh: Multiple sites near the Vindhyas.
  • Western Maharashtra: Jorwe, Nevasa, Chandoli.
  • Eastern India: Chirand, Mahishadal (West Bengal).