Ancient India: Palaeolithic to Neolithic Culture

History of Ancient India (From Early to 1205 A.D.)

Palaeolithic Art

  • Palaeolithic paintings were created using bamboo brushes and red pigment.
  • Subjects depicted included hunting scenes, groups of figures, hieroglyphics, and animals.
  • Notable for their spirited expression and spontaneity:
    • Found in Raigarh, Kaimur ranges, and Mirzapur district.
    • Human figures often depicted in dancing postures.
  • Negrito Race Theory:
    • Suggests early Palaeolithic man resembled modern Andaman Islanders.
    • Characterized by short stature, dark skin, woolly hair, and flat noses.

Mesolithic Culture

  • Era: Approximately 25,000 B.C. to 5,000 B.C.
  • Technological Progress:
    • Tools made from jasper, chert, bloodstone, and bones.
    • Continued reliance on natural resources: fruits, fish, animals.
  • Social Practices:
    • Burial of the dead began.
    • Dogs were tamed as companions.
    • Development of clay pottery noted toward the end of this period.

Neolithic Man

  • Settlements: Found near seas, lakes, and mining sites like Maski and Tinnevelly.
    • Black rock availability critical for settlement choices (stronger than quartzite).
    • Most of India was populated, except southern regions below Kaveri.
  • Artifacts:
    • Superior quality Neolithic tools from Salem district classified into 78 types:
    • Polished: chisels, hammers, mortars, beads, toys, etc.
    • Unpolished: arrows, knives, wedges, etc.
    • Pottery characteristics:
    • Common types include bowls, flower pots, and lotahs.
    • Different colors (red, yellow, brown, grey) used, indicating advanced pottery methods.
    • Lack of human or animal figures; floral designs were prevalent.
  • Settling Practices:
    • Natural shelters provided by granite rocks.
    • No permanent houses; materials like twigs and thatch have perished.
  • Diet and Clothing:
    • Diet: fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, fish, and milk products (curd, butter, ghee).
    • Early clothing made of animal skins; later, cotton fabrics were used.
    • Art of dyeing was known; clothing varied in style for men and women.

Occupations and Societal Structure

  • Primary Activities:
    • Hunting, fishing, and gathering.
    • Towards the end of the Neolithic era, agriculture began emerging—initially dependent on wild grains, later cultivated crops.
    • Knowledge of carpentry, masonry, pottery, weaving, and dyeing indicated specialized labor.
  • Worship Practices:
    • Ancestor worship and rituals for the deceased noted.
    • Use of urns for burial (commonly oval, some with legs).
    • Stone worship and offerings, including human and animal sacrifices common.

Legacy and Survival of Neolithic Culture

  • Some Neolithic peoples (e.g., Gonds, Bhils, Santhals) survived invasions and maintained cultural traits.
  • Superstitions, spirit beliefs, and amulet usage trace back to this era.
  • The potter's wheel, spinning, weaving, and omen beliefs initiated here.

Transition to Metal Age

  • The shift from Stone to Metal was gradual:
    • Stone and metal tools coexisted for a time.
    • Early metal implements mirrored Neolithic tools.
  • Metal Discovery:
    • Iron was introduced after centuries of copper usage.
    • Distinction between the Copper Age and early Iron Age marked in Northern India, while Southern India transitioned directly to Iron Age.
  • Bronze Usage:
    • Bronze, an alloy of 9 parts copper and 1 part tin, was suitable for tools but no formal "Bronze Age" is defined in India due to insufficient archaeological evidence.