Sambhav-2024

Day 30 : Discuss the changes man adopted from the hunter-gatherer life of the Paleolithic phase to the
agricultural society of the Neolithic age in the Indian context. (250 Words)

23 Dec 2023 | GS Paper 1 | History

Approach / Explaination / Answer

Start the answer with a discussion that sets a context for the question.
Discuss the key changes that accompanied the transition during the Paleolithic Age.
Discuss the key changes that accompanied the transition during the Mesolithic Age.
Discuss the key changes that accompanied the transition during the Neolithic Age.
Conclude suitably.

Introduction

The Neolithic revolution was the critical transition that resulted in the birth of agriculture, taking
humans from scattered groups of hunter-gatherers to farming villages. This transition from the
Paleolithic to the Neolithic era began in Mesopotamia, notably in the region of Sumer, and
subsequently disseminated to India, Europe, and other regions.

Body

Here are some key changes that accompanied this transition:

Phases in the Paleolithic Age: (around 600000-10000 BC)

Lower Paleolithic Age: People started using hand axes, cleavers, and choppers to hunt
fish and birds. Its most important site lies in Belan Valley, Uttar Pradesh.
Middle Paleolithic Age: Middle Paleolithic industries were largely based upon flakes or
small pieces of stone found in different parts of India with regional variations. The artefacts
of this age were found at several places on the river Narmada.
Upper Paleolithic Age: It marks the appearance of new flint industries and men of the
modern type. In India, the use of blades and burins can be found in Andhra Pradesh. Cave
and rock shelters have been discovered at Bhimbetka.
The Mesolithic Age: (around 10000 BC)
Animal Husbandry: Mesolithic Age marked a transitional phase in the mode of
subsistence leading to animal husbandry.
Microliths: The characteristic tools of the Mesolithic age are microliths with sites that
have been around Rajasthan.
The Neolithic Age: (around 9000 BC)
 Rural Settlements: The earliest rural settlements in the Indian subcontinent were
attributed to Mehrgarh located on the bank of Bolan River.
Use of Bone Tools: The Neolithic People in Kashmir used not only bone tools but also
numerous tools and weapons made of bone. Its most important sites are Burzahom,
Gufkral and Chirand.
Agriculture; The Neolithic settlers were the earliest farming communities. The Neolithic
people led a settled life and produced ragi, horse gram, and even rice.
Pottery: Neolthic people used foot wheels to make pots. The Neolithic pottery includes
black burnished ware, grey ware, and mat-impressed ware.
Limitations: The people of the Stone Age suffered from one great limitation, they had to depend
almost entirely on tools made of stone, and they could not find settlements far away from hilly
areas.

Conclusion

The transition from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic era was a transformative period that laid the
groundwork for the development of civilizations. The adoption of agriculture and the shift to settled
communities had far-reaching implications for human societies, shaping the course of human history for
millennia to come.

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