APPSC Groups Study material(Indian History)

THE STONE AGE – EARLY MAN

The evolution of earth shows 4 stages. The fourth stage is called Quaternary which is divided into Pleistocene (most recent) and Holocene (present).

The History of Earth is divided into 3 Eras,

1. Palaeozoic Era


2. Mesozoic Era


3. Cenozoic Era

The period before the Palaeozoic Era is called PRE-CAMBRIAN TIME.

Various Eras and Periods

1)      Pre-Cambrian Time

2)     Palaeozoic Era

a)      Cambrian Period – 4.5 billion years ago – Bacteria appeared

b)     Ordovician Period – 570 million years ago

c)      Silurian Period – 500 million years ago

d)     Devonian Period – 435 million years ago

e)      Carboniferous Period –

i)        Lower Carboniferous Period – 410 million years ago – Fish appeared

ii)      Upper Carboniferous Period – 360 million years ago – Frogs appeared

f)       Permian Period – 290 million years ago – Seed Plants appeared

 

3)      Mesozoic Era

a)      Triassic Period – 240 million years ago – Dinosaurs appeared

b)     Jurassic Period – 205 million years ago – Birds appeared

c)      Cretaceous Period – 138 million years ago – Flowering plants appeared

4)      Cenozoic Era

a)      Tertiary Period

i)        Palaeocene Epoch – 63 million years ago – Small Mammals appeared

ii)      Eocene Epoch – 55 million years ago – Grasses appeared

iii)    Oligocene Epoch – 38 million years ago – Primitive Apes appeared

iv)    Miocene Epoch – 24 million years ago – Apes

v)     Pliocene Epoch – 5 million years ago – Human like creatures appeared

b)     Quaternary Period

i)       Pleistocene Epoch – 2million years ago – Human beings developed

ii)      Holocene Epoch – began 10,000 years ago and is still continuing.

•      Man first appeared in Africa in early Pleistocene.


•      We find human presence in India at about 2,50,000BC.


•      The earliest man used only tools and instruments made of stone. Thus this phase in history is known as Stone Age.


•      The Stone is divided into Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic Ages.

PALEOLITHIC AGE

•      Paleolithic Age is also known as Old Stone Age (Paleo=old & lithic=stone).


•      The early man in India used tools of stone, especially QUARTZITE. Hence Paleolithic man in India is also called as Quartzite Man.


•      Paleolithic tools of 1,00,000BC have been found in Kurnool District.


•      Bhimbetka, near Bhopal, is most important Paleolithic site where caves and rock shelters used by Paleolithic man were found.


•      The Paleolithic tools were hand axes, cleavers, choppers, scrapers etc


•      In Paleolithic Age, man lived on hunting and gathering. He had no knowledge of agriculture or cultivation.


•      The Paleolithic man knew the use of fire.


•      Modern human being (Homo sapien) first appeared around 36,000BC

MESOLITHIC AGE

•      Mesolithic Age is also known as Middle Stone Age (Meso=middle).


•      Mesolithic Age began around 8000BC


•      Characteristic tools of Mesolithic Age are “Microliths”


•       Mesolithic man lived on hunting, fish and food gathering.


•      In the later stages of Mesolithic Age, man began domestication of animals.


•      Bhimbetka Hills have the rock paintings from Paleolithic to Mesolithic Age.

NEOLITHIC AGE

•      Neolithic Age is also known as New Stone Age (Neo = new)


•      In the world context, Neolithic Age began around 7000 BC


•      In Indian context, the neolithic settlements in Mehrgarh (Baluchistan) can be dated back to 3500 BC. In south India, the Neolithic sites belong to 2500BC


•      Neolithic man used tools made of polished stone


•      Neolithic man started cultivation (agriculture started).


•      Wheat and Barley were the earliest grown cereals.

•      Agriculture led to settled life


•      Neolithic people of Mehrgarh were more advanced. They cultivated wheat, cotton and lived in mud-brick houses.


•      Pottery first appeared in Neolithic Age


•      The pottery of this period is Ochre-coloured pottery.


•      The Wheel was an important discovery of this period


•      3 important areas of Neolithic settlements have been identified –






• Ÿ  North Western


• Ÿ  North Eastern


• Ÿ  Southern

North West Neolithic settlements

•      Important sites are Burzahom and Gufkral near Srinagar in Kashmir


•      People lived in lake sides in pits dug in the ground


•      Dogs were domesticated and dogs were buried along with masters. This is called double burial system.


•      Characteristic features of Kashmiri Neolithic Culture –






• Ÿ  Pit Dwelling


• Ÿ  Absence of Microliths


• Ÿ  Various stone and bone tools


• Ÿ  Double burial system

North East Neolithic settlements

•      Important sites - Sarutaru, Markadola (Assam) and Daojalihading (Meghalaya).


•      Neolithic sites in Allahabad are noted for the cultivation of rice in the 6^th millineum BC

Southern Neolithic settlements

•      Important sites – Maski, Pikhlihal and Utnur


•      Ash mounds were found in these sites


•      People of Pikhlihal were cattle herders.

CHALCOLITHIC AGE

•      This is the transitional stage where man used both copper and stone tools


•      It extended from 1800 BC to 1000 BC.


•      Copper was the first metal used by man.


•      People mostly lived in rural settlements on river banks near hills.


•      The previously used stone tools were supplemented with copper tools.


•      Painted Pottery was used for the first time during this period.


•      Sites – Brahmagiri (near Mysore) and Navada Toli (bank of Narmada river).