On the trail of the earliest people
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Hunter-gatherers lived in South Asia as early as 2 million years ago, hunting and gathering food as they moved from place to place for various reasons such as following animal migrations and seasonal availability of plants. Archaeological evidence such as stone tools and sites near water sources provide information about these early people. Stone tools were made using two techniques - striking flakes off cores using hammerstones, or pressure flaking using bone or stone tools. Fire was in use, and traces have been found in caves. Around 12,000 years ago, environmental changes led to the development of grasslands and grain-bearing grasses, influencing early human settlement and activities. Rock paintings and engraved ostrich eggshells depict aspects of their lives and culture.
On the trail of the earliest people
- 1. HISTORY CLASS VI CHAPTER -2 ON THE TRAIL OF THE EARLIEST PEOPLE FROM SHRADHA SINGH
- 2. THE EARLIEST PEOPLE:WHY WERE THEY ON THE MOVE Hunter gatherers lived in the subcontinent as early as 2 million years ago. They hunted wild animals, caught fish and birds ,gathered fruits , roots ,nuts , berries. They moved from place to place due to 4 reasons: 1. If they stayed at one place for a long time, they would eat up all the available plants and animal resources. 2. Animals move from place to place in search of prey so those who hunted them also had to follow them. 3. Plants and trees bear fruits in different seasons, so seasonal movement was necessary. 4. People,plants and animals need water to survive .so in search of water people and animals had to move from place to place
- 3. SOME IMPORTANT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
- 4. HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT THESE PEOPLE 1. MATERIAL CULTURE: Things made by them for example tools made of wood , stone or bone. • USES OF TOOLS • Cut meat and bone • Scrape bark from trees and hides • Chop fruits and roots • Make spears and arrows • Chop wood
- 5. Times and Dates Paleolithic( 2 million yrs ago to 12000 years ago) Mesolithic(12000 yrs ago to 10000 yrs ago) Neolithic (10000years onwards)
- 6. HOW DID THE HUNTER GATHERERS CHOOSE A PLACE TO LIVE •Sites were located near source of water, lakes and rivers. •Places where quality stone was easily available .(since stone was required to make tools. ) PLACES WHERE STONE WAS AVAILABLE AND PEOPLE USED TO MAKE TOOLS THERE ARE CALLED FACTORY SITES . We have located them because we have found discarded pieces of stone over there . Sometimes people used to stay here for longer times and these places were called HABITATION CUM FACYORY SITES.
- 7. MAKING STONE TOOLS – 2 TECHNIQUES FIRST TECHNIQUE • The first is called stone on stone. Here, the pebble from which the tool was to be made (also called the core) was held in one hand. Another stone, which was used as a hammer was held in the other hand. The second stone was used to strike off flakes from the first, till the required shape was obtained. DIAGRAM
- 8. MAKING STONE TOOLS – 2 TECHNIQUES SECOND TECHNIQUE • Pressure flaking: Here the core was placed on a firm surface. The hammer stone was used on a piece of bone or stone that was placed on the core, to remove flakes that could be shaped into tools.. DIAGRAM
- 9. FINDING ABOUT FIRE KURNOOL CAVES: Traces of ash have been found. Fire was used for 1 Source of light 2 Cook meat 3 Scare away animals.
- 10. CHANGES IN ENVIRONMENT AND ITS EFFECTS Almost 12000 years ago there were changes in environment which led to A) Development of grasslands which led to development of grass feeding animals. People might have thought of domesticating animals when they learnt about their feeding habits etc. B) Relatively warmer conditions C) Development of grain bearing grasses which led to growth of wheat , barley ,rice in different parts of the subcontinent . People may have thought of growing them now.
- 11. ROCK PAINTINGS AND WHAT THEY DEPICT BEST EXAMPLES OF WALL PAINTINGS ARE FROM MADHYA PRADESH AND SOUTHERN UTTAR PRADESH. Painting from Bhimbetka (MP)
- 12. CASE STUDY-HUNSGI •Paleolithic sites have been found here. •Large number of tools •Habitation cum factory sites. •Many tools were made of limestone which was locally available.
- 14. FIND OF OSTRICH EGGS OSTRICH EGG SHELLS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN PATNE, MAHARASHTRA. SOME EGGS ARE ENGRAVED AND PAINTED TOO.