Chalcolithic Age

The term Chalcolithic is formed of two words - Chalco and Lithic. These two words were derived from the Greek words 'khalkos' and 'lithos' which means copper and stone or Copper Age. It is also known as Eneolithic or Aeneolithic (from Latin aeneus "of copper") is an archaeological period which is assumed as a part of the broader Neolithic. Earlier, it was considered as the transition period between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. Chalcolithic Age is known as the first metal age of India which witnessed the use of both stone and copper and thus this period was also called Stone-Copper Age.

The Chalcolithic Age or Chalcolithic culture started after the Neolithic Age. The use of metals started increasing towards the end of the Neolithic Age, first of all, copper was used among metals. During the chalcolithic age, the copper was also used in abundance along with the stone in the manufacture of tools and weapons and thus named Chalcolithic. The people also used low grade bronze along with the copper and stone to make tools and weapons. The Chalcolithic culture is believed to have existed between 2000 BC and 700 BC. 

Chalcolithic Settlements in India

Chronologically, there were many Chalcolithic settlements in India. Out of them, some settlements were Pre-Harappan, some were contemporary of Harappan culture and then some were Post-Harappan. The settlements of Chalcolithic were mostly found in the regions of South-Eastern Rajasthan, Western Maharashtra, Western Madhya Pradesh and in South and East India.

• South Eastern Rajasthan

- Aahar (Udaipur)

- Gilund (Rajsamand)

• Western Maharashtra

- Kayatha (Mandla)

- Eran (Guna)

- Malwa (Malwa)

• Western Madhya Pradesh

- Jorwe, Nevasa, Daimabad (Ahmednagar)

- Chandoli (Kolhapur)

- Inamgaon (Pune) ; Largest settlement of the chalcolithic age is found here.

Features of Chalcolithic Age 

1. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

(i) The people of Chalcolithic age practised agriculture and animal husbandry. They were dependent on farming, fishing and hunting for their survival. Hunting was the chief source of occupation.

(ii) The legume crops such as lentil, millet, jowar, urad, moong and green pea were also cultivated apart from the major crops like wheat, rice and barley. 

(iii) The presence of the traces of rice cultivation indicates that their diet included fish and rice.

(iv) The animals like sheep, goat, cattle, buffalo and pig were reared for food at that time. The people consumed beef but there were no evidences of eating pork (pig meat).

(v) The people of the age were familiar with the camels. The evidence of this fact has also been found in the form of the remains of the camel.

(vi) Generally, the people of this culture or era were not familiar with the horse.

(vii) Cotton was sowed in black cotton soil as other crops could not be cultivated in this soil.

2. Pottery

(i) The wheel made pottery was the peculiarity of the Chalcolithic culture. 

(ii) The people of the Chalcolithic period have used several kinds of potteries. Most of the pottery of the Chalcolithic period were of Black and Red colour. Sometimes the pottery had white coloured linear designs on them.

(iii) The use of Ochre coloured pottery was also noticed in Ganeshwar. 

3. Weapons and Tools 

(i) The axes, fishing hooks, knives, pins, rods and chisels were the major tools and weapons whose use was quite common. 

(ii) These were basically composed of copper and its alloys.

4. Community and Houses

(i) The Chalcolithic people lived in villages as communities and were spread over vast parts of the country with hilly land and rivers.

(ii) The Chalcolithic people of Harappa extensively used the bricks. Historians opines that the Chalcolithic people did not use baked bricks; perhaps they were not familiar with the baked bricks. The houses were constructed from the mudbricks and stones.

(iii) The houses were simply designed in either circular, rectangular or trapezoid shape. Moreover, the mud walls of the houses were plastered with cow dung and lime.

(iv) The mud houses with ovens and circular pits are found in Inamgaon. 

(v) The houses with post holes and round shape are found in Chirand.

(vi) In general, one-room houses were common but occasionally the multi-roomed houses were also observed.

(vii) The large houses consisting of 5 rooms, 4 rectangular and 1 circular are found which suggests the houses of the chiefs or influential people.

5. Burials

(i) People usually buried the corpse (dead body) within the floors of their houses in the North-South direction. Separate cemeteries were not used.

(ii) In Nevasa and Chandoli, few children were buried with copper necklaces on their neck and these children usually belonged to the opulent and rich families.

(iii) Thus, the burials varied extensively from group to group and region to region ranging from small box to the rock-edged tomb.

6. Art and Craft

(i) The people of Chalcolithic age knew the art of making clothes. It means they were well skilled in spinning and weaving. 

(ii) Also, people were artisans of clay toys, idols of terracotta, metallurgists, ivory craftsmen and limesmiths.

(iii) The female idols were found during the Chalcolithic period. It is known from these idols that the people worshipped the mother-goddess and possibly the Taurus (Bull) was the symbol of religious cult.

(iv) People of Western Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra formed the channel-spouted pots, bowls on stand and dishes on stands.

(v) The beads and semi-precious stones like jasper, garnet, agate, carlenian and chalcedony were used for making ornaments. 

(vi) The potteries were designed and decorated with different colours and shapes. Another most interesting feature was the use of birds, animals and flowers design on potteries.

Significance of Chalcolithic Period

(i) One of the significance of this age is the use of painted and wheel turned pottery for storing, cooking , eating and drinking. Even the use of thali and lota is also observed. 

(ii) The Chalcolithic people preferred to live in chains i.e. they were colonizers.

(iii) They had mastery over the skills of spinning and weaving. 

(iv) The use of metal (copper) for making tools and weapons clearly shows that people knew the art of smelting. 

(v) The people at this age got familiar with the concept of burials.

(vi) The chalcolithic culture spreaded over the large parts of the country excluding the alluvial region and dense forests. 

Drawbacks of Chalcolithic Period

The drawbacks of Chalcolithic Period were:

(i) The chalcolithic period doesn't show longevity (large life span). There are evidences of huge numbers of kids being buried, indicating food shortages and epidemic outbreaks during this period. 

(ii) The domestic animals were reared by the people of the chalcolithic age but they did not make full use of them. They basically used them for the purpose of food and milk because they believed that the milk was for the young ones of animals.

(iii) Though the people of this era began smelting metal but they did not have sufficient knowledge regarding the mixing of two metals. Hence, they were unable to use the stronger metal bronze in an appropriate manner.