- Definition: The Neolithic Age is also known as the New Stone Age.
- Timeline: The Neolithic Age in India dates from approximately 7,000 BCE to 1,000 BCE.
- Transition: The period marked a shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture and settled life.
- Major Characteristics: Use of polished stone tools, pottery, domestication of animals, and cultivation of crops.
- Important Sites: Prominent Neolithic sites in India include Mehrgarh (Pakistan), Burzahom (Kashmir), Chirand (Bihar), and Paiyampalli (Tamil Nadu).
- Mehrgarh: Considered one of the earliest Neolithic sites in the Indian subcontinent, located in modern-day Pakistan.
- Tools and Technology: Tools became more sophisticated, with polished axes, sickles, and grinding stones.
- Domestication of Animals: The Neolithic people domesticated animals such as sheep, goats, cattle, and dogs.
- Agriculture: The cultivation of wheat, barley, rice, and pulses began during this period.
- Permanent Settlements: People began living in permanent settlements instead of being nomadic.
- Housing: Houses were made of mud bricks, thatched roofs, and wood.
- Burzahom: A Neolithic site in Kashmir, known for its pit dwellings and burials with grave goods.
- Chirand: Located in Bihar, it is significant for agriculture, pottery, and microlithic tools.
- Pottery: The Neolithic Age saw the development of handmade pottery and later wheel-made pottery.
- Black and Red Ware: A characteristic type of pottery found during the Neolithic period.
- Food Production: Neolithic humans began food production instead of relying solely on hunting and gathering.
- Community Living: Neolithic people lived in organized villages and small communities.
- Burial Practices: The burial of the dead with grave goods indicates a belief in life after death.
- Use of Fire: Fire was used for cooking, protection, and pottery making.
- Clothing: Clothing was made from animal skin and plant fibers.
- Craftsmanship: The Neolithic Age saw the production of ornaments, beads, and tools from bones, stones, and shells.
- Animal Husbandry: Domestication of animals provided a steady source of milk, meat, and hides.
- Importance of Rivers: Neolithic settlements were often located near rivers to ensure water supply for agriculture.
- Environmental Adaptation: People began modifying their environment for farming and settlement.
- Mehrgarh Burial: Mehrgarh burials show evidence of advanced funeral practices and grave goods.
- Rice Cultivation: The cultivation of rice was prominent in areas like the Ganges valley.
- Wheel Technology: Introduction of the potter's wheel revolutionized pottery production.
- Trade: Neolithic people engaged in barter trade for tools, ornaments, and goods.
- Domesticated Crops: Crops like wheat, barley, lentils, and millet were grown in different regions.
- Farming Implements: Tools such as sickles, ploughs, and grinding stones were used in farming.
- Cattle Domestication: Cattle played a crucial role in agriculture and transport.
- Storage of Grains: People stored surplus grains in granaries for future use.
- Social Organization: Villages had a clan-based social structure.
- Religious Practices: Neolithic people worshipped nature, animals, and fertility goddesses.
- Bone Tools: Tools made from animal bones were widely used for hunting and crafting.
- Evidence of Weaving: The Neolithic Age saw the advent of weaving techniques for making clothes.
- Economic Activities: Agriculture, animal husbandry, pottery, and tool making were the main economic activities.
- Paiyampalli: A Neolithic site in Tamil Nadu, providing evidence of early agriculture.
- Hearths: Evidence of hearths shows the use of fire for cooking and heating.
- Advanced Tools: Tools such as polished axes and grinding stones became common.
- Surplus Food: Food surplus led to the development of storage systems and trade.
- Stone Querns: Used for grinding grains into flour.
- Transition to Urbanization: The Neolithic period laid the foundation for the later Chalcolithic and urban cultures.
- Use of Plough: Evidence suggests the use of ploughs for tilling fields.
- Population Growth: Permanent settlements and food security led to an increase in population.
- Evolution of Society: The Neolithic Age saw the first steps towards a settled and organized society.
- Long-Term Impact: The advancements in agriculture and technology during the Neolithic Age set the stage for the Bronze Age civilizations.
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