1 /5 Search document

Thesis Title: PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENT PATTERNS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL

GANGA VALLEY: AN ETHNOARCHAEOLOGIAL PERSPECTIVE

Research Scholar: SHAHIDA ANSARI

Research Guide: Prof. V.N. Misra
Subject: Archaeology
Institution: Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute
(Deemed University), Pune 411006
Degree Awarded by: Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute
(Deemed University), Pune 411006
Year of Award: 2002

Introduction divided into three distinct parts - the Trans

- Ganga or Gangapar tract, the Doab and
This research aims to reconstruct the set-
the Trans - Yamuna or Yamunapar tract. The
tlement and subsistence pattern of prehis-presence of number of rivers like the Ganga,
toric culture of South-Central Ganga Valley
Yamuna, Sai, Tons, Gumti and their tribu-
by interpreting archaeological data with the
taries, numerous lakes and jhils have made
help of ethnographic study of neighbouringthe area suitable for colonisation since the
non-agriculturist and hunting-gathering-fish-Pleistocene times. The southern portion
ing communities. of the Ganga valley selected for the eth-
Many scholars have worked on the mate- nographic study, since the area is densely
rial aspect of the prehistoric culture to estab-wooded than other parts and is inhabited by
lish cultural and chronological sequence but number of important primitive communities
so far the approaches have been traditional such as the Kols, Musahars and the Mallahs.
and classificatory in nature. The study region
provides immense scope for an ethnoarchae- Archaeological Evidence
ological research with its rich anthropologi- On the basis of archaeological findings,
cal and archaeological evidence. Thus, in the
Allahabad University reports this area to be
present ethnographic study was carried out one of the richest Mesolithic zone. Since 1970
to interpret the prehistoric (i.e. Mesolithic,
about 200 Mesolithic sites have been located
Neolithic and Chalcolithic) cultures of South-
between the Ganga in the south and Gomti
Central Ganga Valley to reconstruct the thenin the north. Out of which 177 sites were
settlement patterns and socio-economic life.recorded in the district of Pratapgarh and 6
in Allahabad district. However, a few large
Study Area Mesolithic sites were excavated like Sarai
Nahar Rai, Mahadaha and Damdama in
The study area South-Central Ganga
Valley comprises the districts of AllahabadPratapgarh district and Chopani-Mando in
Allahabad district. The Neolithic culture of
and Pratapgarh of Uttar Pradesh. It lies
the area shows the transition from the hunt-
between 24° 47' and 26° 11' N.; 81° 9'
ing-gathering to domestication of plants and
and 82° 27' E. and nearly covers an area of
10, 000 km.2 The topography is fairly level animals started much earlier than that of the
plain. The physical parts of the valley may be Middle Ganga Valley. Out of 17 sites were
reported from Allahabad district Koldihwa,