Introduction
"Prehistory" refers to the period before the invention of writing. In India, this covers the
Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic ages, followed by the transitional
Chalcolithic (copper-stone) age — traced almost entirely through archaeological evidence
such as stone tools, pottery, and habitation sites, since no written records exist.
Flowchart — Stages of Prehistoric India
Paleolithic (Old Stone Age)
→
Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age)
→
Neolithic (New Stone Age)
→
Chalcolithic (Copper-Stone Age)
Paleolithic Age (c. 500,000 - 10,000 BCE)
| Sub-phase | Key Feature |
|---|
| Lower Paleolithic | Crude stone tools (hand-axes, cleavers); Robert Bruce Foote discovered the first Paleolithic tool at Pallavaram (Madras) in 1863 |
| Middle Paleolithic | Smaller, more refined flake tools |
| Upper Paleolithic | Blade and burin tools; appearance of early art |
Key sites: Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh) — famous for rock shelters and early rock paintings spanning the Paleolithic to historical periods; Hunsgi and Attirampakkam.
Mesolithic Age (c. 10,000 - 6,000 BCE)
- Characterised by microliths — small, finely worked stone tools, often hafted onto wood/bone handles.
- Evidence of early domestication of animals and semi-nomadic lifestyle.
- Key site: Bagor (Rajasthan), and continued habitation at Bhimbetka.
Neolithic Age (c. 7000 - 1000 BCE, regionally variable)
- Marked the beginning of settled agriculture, animal domestication, and pottery-making — often called the "Neolithic Revolution."
- Mehrgarh (Balochistan, present-day Pakistan) is the earliest known Neolithic farming settlement in the Indian subcontinent, showing evidence of wheat/barley cultivation.
- Other key sites: Burzahom (Kashmir — pit dwellings), Chirand (Bihar), Piklihal and Brahmagiri (South India — ash mounds from cattle-penning).
Chalcolithic Age (c. 3000 - 1000 BCE)
- Transitional period marked by the use of both stone tools and copper implements.
- Key cultures: Ahar-Banas (Rajasthan), Malwa, Jorwe (Maharashtra) — each with distinctive painted pottery styles.
- Often regionally contemporaneous with, or slightly later than, the mature Indus Valley Civilization (covered next).
📌 Note on Dating: These ages were not strictly sequential across all of India — different regions transitioned at different times, and some Chalcolithic/Neolithic cultures persisted even as urban Harappan civilization flourished elsewhere.
✅ UPSC Focus: Sequence of ages and their defining tool/technology · Key site-to-age matching (Bhimbetka, Mehrgarh, Burzahom, Bagor) · Robert Bruce Foote's discovery · Distinction between Neolithic (farming begins) and Chalcolithic (copper use begins).