From Hunters and Gatherers to farmers and herders

From Hunters and Gatherers to farmers and herders

Palaeolithic Age

Archaeologists have given lengthy names for the time that we are studying. They call the earliest period the Palaeolithic. This comes from two Greek words, ‘palaeo’, meaning old, and ‘lithos’, meaning stone. The name points to the importance of finds of stone tools. The Palaeolithic period extends from 2 million years ago to about 12,000 years ago. This long stretch of time is divided into the Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. This long span of time covers 99% of human history.

Hunters and Gatherers

Generally, they hunted wild animals, caught fish and birds, gathered fruits, roots, nuts, seeds, leaves, stalks and eggs

Why did they move?

First, if they had stayed at one place for a long time, they would have eaten up all the available plant and animal resources. Therefore, they would have had to go elsewhere in search of food.

Why did they move?

Second, animals move from place to place — either in search of smaller prey, or, in the case of deer and wild cattle, in search of grass and leaves. That is why those who hunted them had to follow their movements.

Why did they move?

Third, plants and trees bear fruit in different seasons. So, people may have moved from season to season in search of different kinds of plants.

Why did they move

Fourth, people, plants and animals need water to survive. Water is found in lakes, streams and rivers. While many rivers and lakes are perennial (with water throughout the year) others are seasonal. People living on their banks would have had to go in search of water during the dry seasons (winter and summer).

Multiple Choice

What is a nomad?

• someone who moves from place to place

• someone who has a permanent home

• someone who farms

• someone who has many different jobs

Tools of the Stone Age man

Archaeologists have found some of the things hunter-gatherers made and used. It is likely that people made and used tools of stone, wood and bone, of which stone tools have survived best. Some of these stone tools were used to cut meat and bone, scrape bark (from trees) and hides (animal skins), chop fruit and roots. Some may have been attached to handles of bone or wood, to make spears and arrows for hunting. Other tools were used to chop wood, which was used as firewood. Wood was also used to make huts and tools.

Use of Fire

This suggests that people were familiar with the use of fire. Fire could have been used for many things: as a source of light, to roast meat, and to scare away animals

Bhimbetka Caves

Bhimbetka (in presentday Madhya Pradesh). This is an old site with caves and rock shelters. People chose these natural caves because they provided shelter from the rain, heat and wind. These rock shelters are close to the Narmada valley.

Cave Paintings

 Paintings like this were made between 20,000 and 10,000 years ago. Many of these were of animals, such as wild horses, aurochs (an older, wild form of cattle), bison, woolly rhinoceros, reindeer and bear, painted in bright colours. These colours were made from minerals like ochre or iron ore, and charcoal. It is possible that these paintings were done on ceremonial occasions. Or perhaps they were made for special rituals, performed by hunters before they went in search of prey?

Multiple Choice

How did people in the Paleolithic Age get their food?

• hunting and gathering

• trading

• growing crops

• herding goats

Multiple Choice

How did people in the Paleolithic Age get their food

• Hunting and gathering
• planting and harvesting
• by herding goats and cattle
• by trading over land and sea

Multiple Choice

How did people in the Paleolithic Age get their food?

• hunting and gathering

• trading

• growing crops

• herding goats

Multiple Choice

How did people in the Paleolithic Age get their food?

• hunting and gathering

• trading

• growing crops

• herding goats

Mesolithic Age

The period when we find environmental changes, beginning about 12,000 years ago till about 10,000 years ago is called the Mesolithic (middle stone). Stone tools found during this period are generally tiny, and are called microliths. Microliths were probably stuck on to handles of bone or wood to make tools such as saws and sickles. At the same time, older varieties of tools continued to be in use.

Change in Environment

Around 12,000 years ago, there were major changes in the climate of the world, with a shift to relatively warm conditions. In many areas, this led to the development of grasslands. This in turn led to an increase in the number of deer, antelope, goat, sheep and cattle, i.e. animals that survived on grass. Those who hunted these animals now followed them, learning about their food habits and their breeding seasons. It is likely that this helped people to start thinking about herding and rearing these animals themselves. Fishing also became important.

Beginning of Agriculture

This was also a time when several grain bearing grasses, including wheat, barley and rice grew naturally in different parts of the subcontinent. Men, women and children probably collected these grains as food, and learnt where they grew, and when they ripened. This may have led them to think about growing plants on their own. In this way people became farmers.

Beginning of Herding

People could also attract and then tame animals by leaving food for them near their shelters. The first animal to be tamed was the wild ancestor of the dog. Later, people encouraged animals that were relatively gentle to come near the camps where they lived. These animals such as sheep, goat, cattle and also the pig lived in herds, and most of them ate grass. Often, people protected these animals from attacks by other wild animals. This is how they became herders.

Domestication

Domestic is the name given to the process in which people grow plants and look after animals. Very often, plants and animals that are tended by people become different from wild plants and animals. This is because people select plants and animals for domestication. For example, they select those plants and animals that are not prone to disease. They also select plants that yield large-size grain, and have strong stalks, capable of bearing the weight of the ripe grain. Seeds from selected plants are preserved and sown to ensure that new plants (and seeds) will have the same qualities. Amongst animals, those that are relatively gentle are selected for breeding. As a result, gradually, domesticated animals and plants become different from wild animals and plants. For example, the teeth and horns of wild animals are usually much larger than those of domesticated animals.

Towards a settled life

If you plant a seed, you will notice that it takes some time to grow. This may be for several days, weeks, months and in some cases years. When people began growing plants, it meant that they had to stay in the same place for a long time looking after the plants, watering, weeding, driving away animals and birds — till the grain ripened. And then, the grain had to be used carefully.

Development of Pottery

As grain had to be stored for both food and seed, people had to think of ways of storing it. In many areas, they began making large clay pots, or wove baskets, or dug pits into the ground.

Neolithic Age

 10,000 years ago, is known as the Neolithic.Many of these are different from the earlier Palaeolithic tools and that is why they are called Neolithic. These include tools that were polished to give a fine cutting edge, and mortars and pestles used for grinding grain and other plant produce. Mortars and pestles are used for grinding grain even today, several thousand years later. At the same time, tools of the Palaeolithic types continued to be made and used, and remember, some tools were also made of bone

Many kinds of earthen pots have also been found. These were sometimes decorated, and were used for storing things. People began using pots for cooking food, especially grains like rice, wheat and lentils that now became an important part of Fthe diet. Besides, they began weaving cloth, using different kinds of materials, for example cotton, that could now be grown

Neolithic Age

- Development of Trade

- Development of Government

Catal Huyuk

Neolithic sites, Catal Huyuk, was found in Turkey. Several things were brought from great distances —flint from Syria, cowries from the Red Sea, shells from the Mediterranean Sea — and used in the settlement. Remember, there were no carts — most things would have been carried on the backs of pack animals such as cattle or by people.

Multiple Choice

What is the main difference between Paleolithic and Neolithic eras?

• During the Paleolithic era humans would paint with sticks and in the Neolithic would paint with brushes

• During the Paleolithic they were nomads and in the Neolithic were farmers

Multiple Choice

To train a wild animal to be useful to humans is called

• Farming
• Domestication
• Agriculture
• Trade

Multiple Choice

What is the main reason the Neolithic Revolution is considered a turning point in world history?

• Fire was used as source of energy for the first time.

• Spoken language was used to improve communication.

• Domestication of animals and cultivation of crops led to settled communities.

• Stone tools and weapons were first developed.

Multiple Choice

What was an important result of the Neolithic Revolution?

• Food supplies became more reliable.

• New sources of energy became available.

• People became more nomadic.

• Population declined.

Multiple Choice

To train a wild animal to be useful to humans is called

• Farming

• Domestication

• Agriculture

• Trade

Multiple Choice

To train a wild animal to be useful to humans is called

• Farming

• Domestication

• Agriculture

• Trade