Mesolithic (Prehistoric) | Anthropology Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

• Mesolithic, also called Middle Stone Age, is an ancient cultural stage that existed between the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), with its chipped stone tools, and the Neolithic (New Stone Age), with its polished stone tools.
• Mesolithic material culture is characterized by greater innovation and diversity than is found in the Paleolithic.
• In India, this age spanned from 9,000 B.C. to 4,000 B.C., and is characterized by the appearance of Microliths (small bladed stone tools).
• Mesolithic period in human cultural history is defined as the earliest Holocene culture that occurs before agriculture was started.

Tool Types and Technology

• Microliths are the predominating and the most common tool types of this cultural phase
• Microliths are described in terms of geometric and non-geometric shapes.
• Geometric ones are types such as trapeze, triangle, lunate or crescent. The nongeometric types are named by the nature of blunting of the back, such as partly, fully or obliquely blunted blades or after their functions such as scraper, point, knife, blade, awl, burin and borer
• These were used as composite tools for plant gathering and harvesting, slicing, grating, plant-fibre processing
• Another type of tool used by the Mesolithic people is called the Macrolith
  • These were bigger than Microliths, and were a continuation of the Upper Palaeolithic types such as scrapers
  • These are considered as heavy-duty tools
• Bone and antler tools are yet another category of tools used by the Mesolithic people

Indian Mesolithic Culture

• Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was of a much shorter period than Palaeolithic.
  • It lasted from over thirty thousand years in Sri Lanka and parts of Africa to only about ten thousand years in India and West Asia.
• Besides the use of microliths, the Mesolithic people made a number of technological innovations like the bow and arrow for hunting, querns, grinders and hammer stones for grinding and pulverising plant foods like roots, tubers etc.
• They created a large volume of art in the form of several thousand paintings and engravings, which not only tell us about their aesthetic taste but also their capability for innovating new technological elements, modes of subsistence economy, items of material culture, social organization and religion

Indian Mesolithic sites

• The earliest discovery of microliths and other Mesolithic tools were discovered in the rock-shelters of Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh.
  • Major excavated sites in India include:
  • Tilwara, Bagor , Ganeshwar in Rajasthan
  • Langhnaj, Akhaj, Valasana, Hirpura, Amrapur, Devnimori, Dhekvadlo,
  • Tarsang in Gujarat
  • Patne, Pachad, Hatkhamba in Maharashtra
  • Morkhana, Lekhahia, Baghai Khor, Sarai Nahar Rai, Mahadaha, Damdama,
  • Chopani Mando, Baidha Putpurihwa in Uttar Pradesh
  • Pachmarhi, Adamgarh, Putli Karar, Bhimbetka, Baghor II, Baghor III,
  • Ghagharia in Madhya Pradesh
  • Paisra in Bihar
  • Kuchai in Odisha
  • Birbhanpur in West Bengal
  • Muchatla Chintamanu Gavi, Gauri Gundam in Andhra Pradesh
  • Sanganakallu in Karnataka
  • Tenmalai in Kerala.
• The above excavated sites have provided us with a vast amount of information regarding technology, material remains, burial practices, anatomical remains, customs associated with burial, art and charcoal for dating of the sites.

Conclusion

The Mesolithic period in India, spanning from 9,000 B.C. to 4,000 B.C., was characterized by significant technological advancements and cultural innovations. The use of microliths, macroliths, and bone and antler tools indicated a shift in the way people approached tasks related to plant gathering, harvesting, and processing. The period also saw the introduction of the bow and arrow, querns, grinders, and hammer stones. Mesolithic people created a large volume of art in the form of paintings and engravings, showcasing their aesthetic taste and capabilities. Numerous excavated sites across the country have provided valuable insights into the technology, material remains, burial practices, anatomical remains, and customs of the Mesolithic people in India.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for

What are the main types of tools used during the Mesolithic period in India?

The Mesolithic period in India saw the use of microliths, macroliths, and bone and antler tools. Microliths were small bladed stone tools that came in geometric and non-geometric shapes, while macroliths were larger tools that were a continuation of the Upper Palaeolithic types, such as scrapers. Bone and antler tools were also used for various tasks.

What were some of the significant technological innovations and cultural aspects of the Indian Mesolithic period?

Some of the key technological innovations of the Indian Mesolithic period include the bow and arrow for hunting, querns, grinders, and hammer stones for grinding and pulverising plant foods. The Mesolithic people also created a large volume of art in the form of paintings and engravings, which showcased their aesthetic taste and capabilities and provided insights into their subsistence economy, material culture, social organization, and religion.

What information can be gathered from the excavated Mesolithic sites in India?

Excavated Mesolithic sites in India have provided a wealth of information on various aspects of life during this period, including technology, material remains, burial practices, anatomical remains, customs associated with burial, and art. Charcoal samples from these sites have also been used for dating purposes, helping to determine the chronological context of the Mesolithic period in India.