PRE HISTORY

The Stone Ages

The Prehistoric age refers to that period of the past for which
we do not have the written records therefore the knowledge of
this period is based upon the materials found in the
archaeological excavations.
The man living during this period made the tools of stones
found in his surroundings and he uses these tools to hunt and
gather food in order to satisfy his hunger.
Since the man uses the tool of stones in this period thus this
phase of human development is known as the Stone Age.
On the basis of the different techniques and tools the stages of
the human development is divided into Paleolithic or Old
Stone Age, Mesolithic or the Middle Stone Age and Neolithic
or New Stone Age.
The first human being who is believed to live is known as the
‘Peking Man’
Paleolithic Age/ Old Stone Age (5, 00,000 B.C- 10,000 B.C)
The Paleolithic Age according to the archaeologist has
developed in the Pleistocene period or the Ice Age.
The people of this age were hunters and gatherers and they
belong to the Negroid race
During this period the man uses the materials of the stones
and lived in caves and shelters.
The man during this period has no idea of agriculture, fire etc.
The man basically uses hand axes, choppers, cleavers, blades
and burin which was made up of the hard rock’s known as
quartzite thus the Paleolithic man is also known as the
‘Quartzite Men’
The Paleolithic Age is divided into three parts early or lower
Paleolithic, Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic.
In the Early Paleolithic Age the climate was very cold and it
was basically known as the Ice Age. In this the tools used
were hand axes, cleavers and choppers which are found in the
Soan and Sohan valley (now in Pakistan).
In the Middle Paleolithic Age the use of stone tools was most
dominant such as scrapers, borers and blade like sharp tools
which are found in the Soan, Narmada and Tungbhadra
valleys.
In the Upper Paleolithic Age the climate became warm and
the use of burins and scrapers was there which was found in
the Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Chota Nagpur
Plateau etc.
Fire was discovered in the upper Paleolithic age
Mesolithic/Middle Stone Age (10,000B.C- 6000 B.C)
In this age due to the change of the climate and the natural
vegetation it made easy for the people to move to the new
areas.
The tools in the Mesolithic Age the tools become more
pointed but they were made up of stones only.
In this age also the people were hunter and gatherers but in the
later stage of the Mesolithic Age people also domesticated
animals.
The use of fire became very dominant in the Mesolithic Age
In the last phase of the Mesolithic Age people also started
cultivation
The Rock painting found at Bhimbetka near Bhopal belonging
to the Mesolithic age indicates the artistic taste of the people.
The Mesolithic phase was found in the Chatonagpur region,
Central India and also in the south of the Krishna River.
Neolithic/ New Stone Age (6000 B.C- 2000 B.C)
In the Neolithic Age the people uses the stone tools only but
now they were made up of materials other than the quartzite
which were more lethal, pointed and polished.
In the Neolithic Age people started growing fruits and corn
like ragi and horse gram.
In the Neolithic Age people started the use of fire making the
potteries.
They uses the fire to make food and also for their safety from
the wild animals at night by lighting the fire outside their
caves.
In the Neolithic Age people also started weaving the clothes
of cotton and wool and started wearing them.
In the later part of the Neolithic Age people started living
more settled life and started living in the circular and the
rectangular houses.
Neolithic sites were found at Burzahom and Gulfkral in
Jammu and Kashmir, Maski, Brahamgiri, Piklihal and
Tekkalakota in Karnataka, Paiyampatti in Tamil Nadu, Garo
hills of Meghalaya etc.
CHALCOLITHIC AGE
After the Neolithic Age comes the new phase of human
development known as the Chalcolithic Age in which the
people started using the metals out which the first metal to be
used by the humans was copper.
In this phase people started making the tools made up of
copper as well as stone.
The major discoveries of the Chalcolithic Age include bronze
rhinoceros, elephant, two wheeled chariot with a rider and a
buffalo.
The people of the Chalcolithic Age practice Subsistence
agriculture and the main crops of this period includes rice,
barley, wheat, gram, jowar, coarse grain, pea, lentils etc
The important Chalcolithic sites in India are spread in
Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh
etc.
INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
The Indus Valley Civilization is one of the oldest civilization
of the world along with the Mesopotamia Civilization in Iraq
and Ancient Egypt Civilization.
The Indus Valley Civilization is also known as the Harappan
Civilization as Harappa was the first and the most important
site if the Indus Valley Civilization.
The Indus Valley Civilization was spread in 12, 60,000
sq.kms which includes whole Pakistan some parts of India,
Afghanistan and Iran (Persia).
The materials which were found during the excavations and
on the basis of the radio-carbon dating it is believed that Indus
Valley Civilization was spread from the year 2500-1750 B.C.
The first site which was discovered was Harappa which
discovered by Dr. D.R. Sahani in the year 1921 on the banks
of the river Ravi and Mohanjodaro in the year 1922 by R.D.
Banerjee on the banks of the river Indus. Sir John Marshall
played important role in both the excavations.
Indus Valley Civilization forms the part of the Proto History
of India and belongs to the Bronze Age.
The population of the Indus Valley Civilization consists of the
Mediterranean, Proto-Australoid, and Mongoloids.
The use of Gold, Silver, Copper and Bronze was there but the
use of Iron was completely unknown.
Important Sites of Indus Valley Civilization
Harappa- Daya Ram Sahani 1921
Mohanjodaro- R.D. Banerjee-1922
Amri- M.G. Majumdar-1929
Chanhudaro- M.G.Majumdar-1931
Kalibanga- Amlanand Ghosh-1953
Lothal- S.R. Rao-1957
Banwali- R.S. Bisht-1973
Surkotada- Jagat Pal Joshi-1964
Dholavira- Jagat Pal Joshi- 1967
Ropar- Y.D.Sharma- 1953
Rangpur- M.S. Vats- 1931
Dholavira- J P Joshi 1967
Important Sites of Indus Valley Civilization
Harappa
It was founded in the year 1921 by Mr. Dayaram Sahani. It is
situated near the Sahiwal district of Pakistan on the banks of
the river Ravi.
The Great Granary was found here measuring 169 feet X 35
feet. A naked sandstone torso was found which also gives the
traces of the Jainism.
Stone symbols of female genitals
Single room barrack
Mohenjo-Daro

It was founded in the year 1922 by Mr. R.D. Banerjee. It is

situated in the Larkana district of Pakistan on the banks of
river Indus.
It is derived from the Sindhi word which means the “Mound
of the Dead”
The Great Bath was found here.
Multi pillared assembly hall
A piece of woven cloth
Stamp/Seal with the image of the Pashupati Mahadev
Statue of the bearded man
Evidence of direct trade relations with the Mesopotamia
Civilization
Mohenjodaro was the most advanced city of the Indus Valley
Civilization the roads were wide and straight and were 33 feet
wide. The roads run in the North- South direction and the
other roads run in the East- West direction and they both cut
each other at right angles.
Kalibanga
It was founded in the year 1953 by Mr. Amlanana Ghosh
It was situated near the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan on
the banks of the river Ghaggar.
The word Kalibanga means the Black Bangles
The ploughed field at Kalibanga is the most important
discovery of that time.
Wooden wheel was found here which also gives the proof that
the people of Kalibanga use the bullock carts
Bones of camels are found here
The tiled floor was found here which has the design of
intersecting of circles
Human head with long oval eyes and thick lower lips
Two types of burial was found here
Burials in the circular grave
Burials in the rectangular grave
Chanhu-Daro
It was founded in the year 1931 by M.G.Majumdar
Chahudaro was situated on the eastern side of river Indus in
the Sindh province of Pakistan
Chanudharo has three different cultural layers Indus Culture,
Jhukar Culture and Jhangar Culture.
It was the only site in the Indus Valley Civilization without
the Citadel.
During the excavations a small pot, bullock carts and ekkas,
foot prints of the elephant and the dog chasing the cat.

Lothal
It was founded in the year 1957 by S.R. Rao
It is situated near the Gulf of Khambatt in Gujarat.
An artificial dockyard was found here. It was the most
important port city of the Indus Valley Civilization
Boat made up of Terracotta was found here which gives the
traces that they have the trade relations with the other
civilizations of the world.
Evidence of rice was found here as the rice granary was found
at Rangpur near Ahemadabad in Gujarat
A terracotta statue of horse was found here
Seal which has the design of the ship
A printed jar which resembles the story of the cunning fox
which is also mentioned in the Panchtnatra
A compass like measuring instrument was found which can
measure the angles of 1800, 900 and 450
Evidence of double burial was found i.e. male and female
were found in the single grave which also gives the traces of
Sati practice.
Evidence of chess like game
Ropar
Founded in the year 1953 by Y.D.Sharma
It is situated in the state of Punjab in India
The excavations at the Ropar includes pottery, ornaments,
copper axes, seal etc
A strange burial was found here i.e. the dead body of dog was
found along with the dead body of the human being
Banwali
Founded in the year 1973 by R.S. Bisht
It is situated near the Hissar district of Haryana
Huge quantity of Barley and Mustard was found here
A terracotta plough was also found here which the most
remarkable discovery
Surkotada
Founded in the year 1964 by Jagat Pal Joshi
It is situated in the Kutch district of Gujarat
During the excavations the first remains of the horse bones
was found here.
Dholavira
It was founded in the year 1967 by Prof Jagat Pal Joshi and it
is situated in the state of Gujarat in India
In the Dholavira the major discovery was the Rain Water
Harvesting
Economic Life of the Indus Valley Civilization
Agriculture
The Indus plains were made fertile by the annual inundation
of the river Indus. This river carried far more alluvial soil than
many other contemporary rivers like the Nile in Egypt. The
farmers sowed their seeds in November when the flood waters
receded and reaped their harvests in April before the next
floods. They must have produced enough to provide for the
people in villages and cities. They produced wheat, barley,
rice, sesamum, mustard etc. They also produced significant
quantities of cotton.
Technology, arts & crafts
The people of the Indus Valley Civilization well know the
technique of mining the best example of this can be seen from
the nearby mines of Khetri in Rajasthan which is famous for
its copper. Tin was probably brought from mines in Bihar or
from Afghanistan. The amount of artifacts left behind by the
Indus Valley Civilization suggests that there were a large
group of bronze smiths who not only made utensils but also
made various kinds of tools as well. There is evidence which
suggests that they may also have practiced weaving, possibly
using spindle whorls. Whatever buildings have been
excavated seems to have been made of brick which indicates
that brick-laying must also have been an important
occupation. Besides the above, people of the Indus Valley
Civilization must also have followed the occupations of seal-
making, goldsmiths, pottery, bead making etc.
Trade
The discovery of the artificial brick dockyard at Lothal and
the seals having the pictures of the boat gives the traces that
the people of the Indus Valley Civilization has the trade
relation with the other civilizations of the world such as the
Mesopotamia civilization.
There was also the internal trading as they used the bullock
carts for the transportation.
The unit of measurement was 16 (16, 64, and 160,320)
Religious Life & Culture
The main gods of worship for the people of Indus Valley
Civilization was Puhupati Mahadev( Lord Shiva)
The people of the Indus Valley Civilization also worship the
Phallus (lingam) and yoni
Animal worshipped- Unicorn and Bull
Tree worshipped- Pipal
Bird worshipped- Dove & Pigeon
When any person dies in the Indus Valley Civilization they
lay them in North- South direction with the head in North and
the legs in South direction. There was the practice of burying
the dead body in the rectangular or the oval pits.
Script and Language
The script of the Indus Valley Civilization is pictographic in
nature which has around 600 pictographs. The writing style of
the of the Indus Valley Civilization is known as
“Boustrophedon” i.e. they write the first line from right to left
and the second line from left to right. The language of the
Indus Valley Civilization is still unknown.
Causes of Decline
The definite cause of decline for the Indus Valley Civilization
is still elusive since there are no written records of the period
and there are various speculations from the historians.
There are four main reasons behind the decline of Indus
Valley Civilization as concluded by the historians
1. Due to decrease of the soil fertility
2. Due to increase of salinity in the water from the
neighboring deserts
3. Due to natural calamity such as Earthquake, Flood,
Famine etc
4. Aryans when they came to India they destroyed the Indus
Valley
Civilization