This lecture covers the Stone Age, Chalcolithic Age, and Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) for SSC FRB preparation, focusing on classification, key sites, and important features.
Introduction to Prehistory, Protohistory, and History ⏱ 2:00
•Prehistory: No written evidence; Stone Age falls here.•Protohistory: Written evidence exists but not deciphered; Bronze Age (IVC) falls here.•History: Written evidence deciphered; starts from Vedic Age.Stone Age Classification ⏱ 4:15
•Three categories based on stone tool technology: - Paleolithic (Old Stone Age): Raw, unpolished stones.
- Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age): Microliths (small stones) with flake technology.
- Neolithic (New Stone Age): Polished stones, food producers.
•Time periods: Paleolithic 5 lakh BC to 10000 BC; Mesolithic 10000 BC to 9000 BC (varies); Neolithic 7000 BC to 1000 BC.Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) ⏱ 8:45
•Lower Paleolithic (5 lakh BC to 50000 BC): Ice Age; sites include Son Valley (Punjab), Belan Valley (UP), Nevasa (Maharashtra), Didwana (Rajasthan), Hunsgi (Karnataka), Pahalgam (Kashmir), Patna (Maharashtra). First evidence of ostrich egg in Maharashtra.•Middle Paleolithic (50000 BC to 40000 BC): Flake technology; hunter-gatherers.•Upper Paleolithic (40000 BC to 10000 BC): Last phase of Ice Age; appearance of Homo sapiens; use of flint stone.Mesolithic Age (Middle Stone Age) ⏱ 13:30
•Microlith period; warm climate after Ice Age; increased flora and fauna; use of fire and small stone tools.•Sites: Langhnaj and Mehsana (Gujarat), Bhimbetka and Chau (MP), Chopani Mando (Allahabad, UP), Birbhanpur (West Bengal), Bagor (Rajasthan), Sarai Nahar Rai (UP), Adamgarh (MP). Earliest evidence of animal domestication.Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) ⏱ 14:20
•Food producers; started living in villages; owned property.•Black and red pottery used for storing surplus grains.•Important sites: - Mehrgarh (Balochistan): Oldest Neolithic site in Indian subcontinent (~7000 BC); first evidence of rice.
- Burzahom (Kashmir): "Place of Birch"; bone tools.
- Gufkral (Kashmir): "Cave of Potters"; bone tools.
- Chirand (Bihar): Bone tools.
- Koldihwa (UP): Earliest evidence of domesticated rice.
- Mehargarh: First evidence of rice.
- Daojali Hading (Assam): Jadeite stone.
- Catalhuyuk (Turkey): Neolithic site; first human proto-city.
•Sangana, Brahmagiri, Maski, Pikhlihal, Hallur (Karnataka): Millet cultivation.Chalcolithic Age (Copper Age) ⏱ 20:12
•First metal discovered: copper.•Rural community; practiced urn burial (ashes in pots).•Pottery: Black and red, ochre-colored.•Major sites in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, MP (copper mines in Malanjkhand (MP) and Khetri (Rajasthan)).•Jorve culture (Maharashtra): First site Jorve; largest site Daimabad.•Ahar culture (Rajasthan): Banas valley.•Malwa culture (Western MP).•Chirand (Bihar): Bone tools.•Pandu Rajar Dhibi (West Bengal): Copper age site.Indus Valley Civilization (Bronze Age) ⏱ 25:50
•Time period: 2500 BC to 1750 BC.•Bronze is alloy of copper and tin.•Urban civilization; town planning: grid system, houses opening to back lanes, drainage system (common drains, gabarbands).•Citadel (western, higher) and lower town.•Burnt bricks used.•First to produce cotton; known as Sindon.•Seals made of steatite and terracotta; used for trade; term Meluha used by Mesopotamians for Harappans.•Weight system in multiples of 16.•Barter system (double coincidence of wants).•Trade in lapis lazuli (blue stone) and jadeite.•Religious practices: worship of Mother Goddess, Pashupati seal (proto Shiva), trees, animals.•Domesticated: camel, buffalo, goat, sheep, ox, pig, elephant; horse only one bone found.•Script: pictographic, not deciphered; writing right to left then left to right (boustrophedon).•Polity: dominance of merchant class, no priestly class.•Harappa (1921, Dayaram Sahni, Ravi river, Punjab, Pakistan): 6 granaries in each row, coffin burial.•Mohenjo-daro (1921, Rakhal Das Banerji, Indus river, Sindh, Pakistan): Largest city; Great Bath, Great Granary (largest building); bronze dancing girl (10.5 cm, Tribhanga posture, lost wax technique); bearded man (steatite); Pashupati seal (steatite); clay figure of Mother Goddess.•Chanhudaro (Gopal Majumdar, Indus river, Sindh): City without citadel.•Lothal (SR Rao, Bhogava river, Gujarat): Ancient port/dockyard; joint burial; fire altar.•Kalibangan (Ghaggar river, Rajasthan): Plowed field, seven fire altars, each house its own well.•Dholavira (Gujarat): Divided into three parts (citadel, middle town, lower town); giant water reservoir system.•Rakhigarhi (Haryana): Largest site in India.•Banawali (Haryana): Grid pattern absent; evidence of barley.•Ropar (Punjab): Burial with dog, oval burial pit.•Sanauli (UP): Extended burial.•Sutkagendor (Balochistan): Westernmost site.•Surkotada: Single bone of horse.•Birrana (Fatehabad, Haryana): Oldest IVC site.•Burzahom: Pit dwelling, lake side; dogs buried with master.Key Takeaways
•Prehistory has no written evidence, protohistory has undeciphered writing, history has deciphered writing.•Stone Age is divided into Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic based on stone tool technology.•Mehrgarh is the oldest Neolithic site in Indian subcontinent (~7000 BC).•In IVC, towns were divided into citadel (western) and lower town; Dholavira had three parts.•IVC used bronze (copper+tin), burnt bricks, weight system in multiples of 16, and barter trade.•Mohenjo-daro is the largest IVC city; Great Bath, Great Granary, bronze dancing girl, Pashupati seal found there.•IVC script is pictographic and undeciphered; writing was boustrophedon.Conclusion
The lecture covered the complete Stone Age, Chalcolithic, and IVC including classification, key sites, and features essential for SSC FRB exam preparation.
