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South Asian Stone Age




The Palaeolithic and Mesolithic in South Asia .


PALEOLITHIC


Homo erectus

and chopper-chopping tools of lower paleolithic may be dated to approx. the middle Pleistocene (Kennedy 2000: 160).


Homo sapiens

Cave sites in Sri Lanka have yielded the earliest record of modern homo sapiens in South Asia. They were dated to 34 kya. (Kennedy 2000: 180). MtDNA analysis dates the immigration of Homo sapiens to South Asia to 70 to 60 kya (see Human Migration ).

For finds from the Belan in southern Uttar Pradesh radio carbon data have indicated an age of 18-17 kya. Also palaeolithic Rock Art is well-known.

At Bhimbetka humans lived from late Pleistocene to the mid-Holocene. The Narmada valley, the Sivaliks and the Potwar region have exhibit many vertebrate fossil remains and paleolithic tools.

Chert , Jasper and Quartzite were often used by humans during this period. Upper paleolithic tools were also found in Bhimbetka.


MESOLITHIC

The Mesolithic in South Asia seems to be more diverse and innovative than in other parts of the world (eg. Europe ).

The Bhimbetka site has revealed many Cave Painting s that date to the mesolithic period.


NEOLITHIC

See Mehrgarh

See also Ruins In The Gulf Of Cambay for the recent Pseudoarchaeological claims of submerged neolithic (or even paleolithic) settlements.


REFERENCES

  • Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.