Paleolithic Age is an era of human evolution as it laid the foundation of the modern human civilization. This was the phase when the humans began acquiring the knowledge of different aspects to improve their lifestyle. During this period, the man was simply a hunter and a food gatherer. The people did not have any knowledge of agriculture and construction of houses. They simply feeded on wild fruits and roots of trees. The people did not have permanent residences and prefers to stay in caves and hills during the Paleolithic era. The tools and weapons used were formed from the stone and and the people largely dependent on them for various purposes such as hunting, extracting wild fruits,etc.
The
Paleolithic or Old Stone Age in India is classified into three parts - Early or
Lower, Middle and Late or Upper. The basis of this classification was the
changes in climate and nature of stone tools used during the Paleolithic
period.
1.
Lower or Early Paleolithic Period
(I)
This phase is also known as Early Stone Age because the use of stone as a tool
or weapon started from this period.
(II)
The main tools used by the people in the lower paleolithic period were hand
axes, cleavers, choppers and chopping tools. Such tools were utilised for
cutting, digging and skinning of animals.
(III)
Quartzite, chert, quartz and basalt were different kinds of stones used as raw
materials for making the stone tools.
(IV)
There were no evidences of paintings in the Lower Paleolithic period.
(V)
People mainly lived in caves and rock shelters. Bhimbetka rock shelters in
Madhya Pradesh is typical example of their habitat. It was granted the status
of world heritage site in 2003.
(VI)
The earliest lower palaeolithic site in India is found in Bori (Maharashtra).
2.
Middle Paleolithic Period
(I)
The fire was used for the first time in the Middle Paleolithic period.
(II)
People used flake tools for hunting which were lighter, thinner, smaller and
more pointed.
(III)
Blades, borers, knives and scrapers were the major tools used during Middle
Paleolithic phase.
(IV)
People used the needles to sew the animal skins and furs and they used them as
body coverings.
(V)
Similar to the lower paleolithic phase, no evidences of paintings.
3.
Upper or Late Paleolithic Period
(I)
The period is said to be 1/10 of the total Paleolithic period which is very
short.
(II)
The Upper Paleolithic period saw the rise of Homo sapiens.
(III)
Flint tools such as burins, harpoons, points, awls and burins were the
hallmarks of Upper Paleolithic phase.
(IV)
The culture of this period was known as
Osteodontokeratic culture which had tools comprised of bones, teeth and
horns. Here, the 'osteo' refers to bones, 'donto' refers to teeth and 'keratic'
refers to horns.
(V)
Bone tools such as harpoon were used as fishing hooks for fishing.
(VI)
The artistic activities began to some extent in the Upper Paleolithic period.
The paintings found in the Bhimbetka rock shelters were from this period.
List of Lower, Middle and Upper Paleolithic Sites in India
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Lower Paleolithic
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Middle Paleolithic
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Upper Paleolithic
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