Hunter and gatherers in and around India.

 

    Around 5 to 7 million years ago humans came into existence on the African continent and spread across the world.They also came to the Asian continent and start living their life.These people were hunter and gatherers.There are some evidences have been found,which suggests that hunter and gatherers used to live at the bank of river Narmada.

People keep on moving,in those days from one place to another.Nowadays,we move from one place to another for work,vacation,occasion,etc.but why these people needs to move,according to my understanding there may be these reasons as follows:

• if,they stay at one place longer may be they will end up eating all of the resources.
• Animals keep on moving.so,they follow these animals for hunting.
• In India seasonal rivers do get dry.so,may be in search of water.

For the hunting and to do all other things they need tools.So,they developed the tools which were made up of stones.These tools were used for many things like cutting the meat,chop of the fruits and roots,scrape bark and hides,chop woods for firewood etc.Some of the stones attached to the wood and bones to make bow and arrow.Places where stone were found and made tools known as factory site at some of these sites if they stay for longer period then those sites are known as habitation-cum-factory site.Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh and caves in Vindhayas & Deccan plateau are some examples of such sites.

They mainly uses two techniques to make their tools:

1. Stone on stone : In this technique they take core stone in one hand and other stone in other hand and strike at the core stone one by one to strike off flakes until the desired result is obtained.
2. Pressure flaking: The core stone is placed on the firm surface and by using the bone or another stone between the hammer stone and core stone they made tools like this.

 They were familiar with the fire also traces of ash are found in Kurnool caves,Andhra Pradesh.

12000 years ago climate started to get little warmer which led to the increase in grasslands and animals who eat grass were also increases in number.Hunters used  to follow these animals and they started to learn about their habits and start herding and rearing them.Grain bearing grasses also started to grow women and children collected them and as they ripened it they came know about the agriculture and this led to the beginning of Agriculture.

Archaeologists divide this long time span into three age:

1. Palaeolithic age:Palaeo means old and lithic means stone.From 2 million-12000 years ago this age covers the 99% of the human history.It is subdivided also in upper,middle,lower age.                                                       
2. Mesolithic age:From 12000-10000 years ago.Tiny stones known as microliths were found in this age.These rocks stuck to the wood or bone to make saw and sackle.                                       
3. Neolithic age:This age started from 10000 years ago.

Ostriches were used to found in palaeolithic age the egg shells in large quantities have been found in Patna,Maharashtra.

Thats,How the hunter and gatherers used to live their life in india.