Stone Age:

Question Asked:

• Robert Bruce Foote, a Geologist and Archaeologist and, discovered first Palaeolithic tool in India, was a/an-
• Present archaeological system (the three-age system), divided into stone, bronze and iron from the collection of Copenhagen museum was coined by the Danish archaeologist Christian Jurgensen Thomson in 1820. – U.P. P.C.S. (Pre) 2010
• According to the excavated evidence, the domestication of animal began in Mesolithie period – U.P.P.C.S.(Mains) 2006, 2008
  • The earliest evidences of domestication of animals in India have been found at Adamgarh (Hoshangabad, M.P.) and Bagor (Bhilwara Rajasthan).
• A large number of implements made of bones and horns have been found from the Mesolithic site, Mahadaha (located in Pratapgarh district of U.P.). [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2010, 2013]
  • The book entitled Puratattva Vimarsh written by Dr. Jai Narayan Pandey describes various pointed objects and ornaments made of bone which have been reported from Sarai Nahar Rai, Damdama and Mahadaha. (All three are in Pratapgarh District of U.P.)
• Three human skeletons in a single grave were recovered at Damdama (a mesolithic site in Pratapgarh District of U.P. ) [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2016]
  • Double burial graves are also found at Damdama.
  • A grave with four human skeletons have been found at Sarai Nahar Rai.
• The cultivation of cereals first started in Neolithic Age. [U.P.P.C.S.Mains) 2005]
  • Grains were first ever produced in Neolithic Age. It was the time when people were introduced to agriculture.
  • The evidence of rice and wheat have been found at neolithic sites at Koldihwa and Mehrgarh.
• The earliest evidence of man in India is found in Namada valley. [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2006]
• The first cereal used by man was Barley. [U.P.P.C.S.(Pre) 1997]
  • Barley is widely accepted as the first cereal to have been cultivated by humans around 8000 B.C. [U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2008]
• The earliest evidence of agriculture in Indian sub-continent found at Mehrgarh (in Baluchistan) around 7000 B.C, [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2007, 2010, U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2008]
  • However, according to a research, the earliest evidence of agriculture in Indian sub-continent comes from Lahuradeva ( Sant Kabir Nagar District of U.P.) around 9000 to 8000 B.C.
  • From Mehrgarh we have found the earliest evidence of settled life. [U.P.P.C.S. (Spl) (Mains) 2008]
  • The cultural remains from Stone Age to Harappan civilization have been obtained from Mehrgarh in Balochistan (Pakistan). [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2008]
• Navdatoli (in M.P.), excavated by H.D. Sankalia. This site is the most extensive excavated rural Chalcolithic site of Indian sub-continent. [U.P. Lower Spl. (Pre) 2008, U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2009]
• Megaliths have been identified as Burial sites. [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2005]
• Ash mound is associated with the Neolithic site at Sangana Kallu located in Vellari district near Mysore in Karnataka. [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2009]
  • They have also been found in Piklihal.
  • These ash mounds are the burnt relics of seasonal camps of Neolithic herdsmen community.
• “Bhimbetka’  is famous for pre-historic Rock Paintings. [M.P.P.C.S. (Spl) (Pre) 2004, U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2011, Uttarakhand U.D.A./L.D.A. (Mains) 2007]
  • It is a rock-shelter with largest number of pictures (Nearly 500 pictures). [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2008]
  • Is a Paleolithic as well as Mesolithic site.
  • It is located in the foothills of the Vindhyan mountains on the southern edge of the central Indian plateau.
  • The caves of Bhimbetka situated Abdullahganj-Raisen (in Madhya Pradesh). [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]
• The Ochre-coloured Pottery (O.C.P.) was christened at Hastinapur. [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2006]
  • Ochre-Coloured Pottery gives it a first appearance of being badly fired.
  • Most of its evidence is mainly found frọm Atranjikhera and Hastinapur.
• In the Chalcolithic period people of Maharashtra buried their dead under the floor of their houses in the North to South position. [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1997]
  • The people of Jorwe culture lived in large rectangular houses with wattle and daub walls and thatched roof. They believed in life after death and therefore buried the dead inside the houses under the floor.
  • Children were buried in two urns that were joined mouth-to-mouth and set horizontally in the pit.
  • while adults were placed in a supine position with the head towards the north (north to south).
  • These sites were found in Daimabad, Inamgaon, Chandauli, Nevasa etc.
• Burzahom (in Kashmir valley) is pre-historic site which has yielded skeleton of the dog along with human skeleton in burial. [U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2008]
  • Thus, the evidence of burying the dog with human body is found here. [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2010]
  • In many pits, bones of dogs and antlered deer were found along with human skeletons.
  • The skeletons of humans were found in the burial pits in a sitting position along with bones of animals.
  • The evidence of pit dwelling has been obtained from here.
• From which rock shelter of Vindhyas, a maximum number of human skeletons have been found. [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2016]
  • Ans: Lekhahia
  • It’s a Mesolithic sites in Mirzapur District, Uttar Pradesh.
  • remainanats of 27 human skeltons has been found in Lekhahiya.
• Archaeological Survey of India is under the Ministry of Culture. [Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2011]
• The National Human Museum situated in Bhopal (M.P.). (Aka Indira Gnadhi National Human Museum) [MPPCS (Pre) 1997]