Chapter 2

On the Trail of Earliest People

Palaeolithic Age:

• Extends from 2 million years ago to about 12,000 years ago.

• Divided into Lower, Middle, and Upper Palaeolithic.

Mesolithic Age:

• Extends from 10,000 years ago to about 12,000 years ago.

• Characterized by tiny stone tools called Microliths.

Neolithic Age:

• Dates back to about 10,000 years ago, known as the New Stone Age.

Earliest People:

• Hunter-gatherers who relied on hunting, collecting berries/fruits, gathering nuts, stalks, and eggs.

• Nomadic lifestyle due to hunting requirements.

• Needed knowledge of plant edibility and seasonal changes.

Archaeological Evidence:

• Early man studied through objects analysis, e.g., stone, bone, and wood tools.

Tool Uses:

• Stone tools for cutting, scraping, and chopping.

Stone Tool Techniques:

• Two methods employed for making stone tools.

Choosing Dwelling Locations:

• Early humans preferred dwellings near water sources and good-quality stone.

Rock Paintings:

• Early art found in rock shelters, known as rock paintings.

Fire Usage:

• Evidence of fire found at Kurnool caves in Andhra Pradesh.

• Fire possibly used for light, cooking, and scaring animals.

Environmental Change:

• Around 12,000 years ago, global climate shift to warmer conditions.

• Led to the development of grasslands, prompting herding and animal rearing.

Habitation-cum-Factory Sites:

• Locations with stones for tool-making, sometimes used for long-term habitation.

Bhimbetka:

• Located in Madhya Pradesh.

• Contains habitation sites, natural caves, and rock shelters.

Hunter-Gatherers:

• Inhabited the subcontinent about 2 million years ago.

• Gathered plant produce and hunted wild animals for food.

Tools:

• Used various tools made of stone, wood, and bone.

• Stone tools crafted using techniques like stone-on-stone and pressure flaking.

Fire Usage:

• Early people used fire for light, cooking, and scaring animals.

Climate Change:

• Around 12,000 years ago, climate change led to grassland development.

Agriculture:

• People began herding, rearing animals, and fishing.

• Natural growth of grain-bearing grasses, and cultivation started.

Rock Art:

• Many caves have paintings depicting accurate images of wild animals.

Hunsgi:

• Site with early Palaeolithic artifacts, mostly made of limestone.

Factory-Sites:

• Locations where people made tools from stones.

Grasslands:

• Fertile areas suitable for crop cultivation.

Habitation-Cum-Factory Sites:

• Combined sites where people lived and crafted tools.

Hunter-Gatherers:

• Early inhabitants (~2 million years ago) who hunted, fished, and gathered food.

Palaeolithic:

• Historical period from 2 million to about 12,000 years ago.

Mesolithic:

• Historical period from about 12,000 to about 10,000 years ago.

Microliths:

• Small stone tools from the Mesolithic period.