The Pre-Historic Era

The Pre-Historic Era

The First Civilisations began to take shape during the period of 2,00,000 BC to about 3500 - 2500 BC. This period of era is considered as the Prehistoric Era.

Stone Age

Stone Age: The age when the prehistoric man began to use stones is called as the Stone Age.

Stone Age is divided as

1. Paleolithic Age or Old Stone Age
2. Mesolithic Age or Middle Stone Age
3. Neolithic Age or New Stone Age
4. Chalcolithic Age or Copper Stone Age

Paleolithic Age (10,000-8000 BC) :

• Human beings were primarily in the hunting and food gathering stage.
• Human beings had started making and using of fire in Paleolithic Age.
• Paintings are done in green and dark red colours.
• Paleolithic sites - NW India, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai.

Mesolithic Age (8000-4000 BC) :

• In this period people lived on hunting, fishing, food gathering.
• Characteristics tools were microliths and began to be made more pointed and sharp.
• In later, people domesticated animals and started cultivation.
• Mesolithic Sites - Rajasthan, Gujrat, Uttar Pradesh, South India.
• The Bhimbetka Caves which is famous for cave paintings near Bhopal belongs to this period.

Neolithic Age (4000-2500 BC) :

• It was the last period of the stone age.
• The term 'Neolithic' was coined by Sir John Lubbock in his books Prehistoric times.
• people were familiar with gold.
• Tools were made of polished stones.
• Peoples had started using of wheels in Neolithic Period.
• Neolithic Sites: Mehrgarh in Baluchistan, Vindhyan Region, important Neolithic Site is Burzahom near Sri Nagar. 
• Burzahom means 'The Place of Birth'.

Chalcolithic Age (1800-1000 BC) :

• At the end of the Neolithic Period, bronze and copper began to be used widely, so this stage is called as Chalcolithic Period.
• Chalcolithic people were the first to use painted pottery.
• Chalcolithic Sites - Chotonagpur plateau to Upper Ganga Basin, Brahngiri near Mysore.

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