Pre-History
Complete Notes on Pre-History with MCQs for All Competitive Examination
- Early
Human Presence in India:
- Fossils
of early human beings not found in India.
- Evidence
of the earliest human presence in India suggested by stone tools dating
back to about 250,000 BCE.
- Recent
artifacts from Bori in Maharashtra indicate human presence in India
around 1.4 million years ago.
- Stone
Age in India (From First Appearance to around 3000 BCE):
- Exclusive
use of stone tools by humans during this period.
- Divided
into three phases:
- Paleolithic
(Early or Old Stone) Age.
- Mesolithic
(Middle Stone) Age.
- Neolithic
(New Stone) Age.
The Paleolithic Age (500,000 BCE - 10,000 BCE)
- Development
in India during the Pleistocene period or Ice Age.
- Earliest
human traces in India date back to 500,000 BCE.
- Paleolithic
sites spread throughout India except the alluvial plains of Indus and
Ganga.
Lifestyle and
Tools
- Food
gathering people surviving on hunting and gathering wild fruits and
vegetables.
- Use
of unpolished, undressed rough stone tools.
- Dwellings
in caves and rock shelters.
- No
knowledge of agriculture, fire, or pottery.
- Main
tools: hand axes, cleavers, choppers, blades, scrapers, burin.
- Tools
made of hard rock called "quartzite," leading to the name
"Quartzite Men."
Evolution of Homo
Sapiens
- Homo
sapiens first appeared in the last phase of the Paleolithic Age.
Classification and
Phases
- Classification
based on stone tools and climate changes.
- Three
phases: Early (Lower) Paleolithic, Middle Paleolithic, Upper Paleolithic.
Early Paleolithic
(Greater part of the Ice Age)
- Characteristic
tools: hand axes, cleavers, choppers.
- Locations:
Son and Sohan river valley (now in Pakistan), Belan Valley in the Mirzapur
district of UP.
- Climate
became less humid during this period.
Middle Paleolithic
Phase
- Characterized
by the use of stone tools made of flakes, including scrapers, borers, and
blade-like tools.
- Sites
found in the valleys of Son, Narmada, and Tungabhadra rivers.
Upper Paleolithic
Phase
- Climate
became warm and less humid.
- Marked
by burins and scrapers.
- Tools
found in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bhopal, and Chhota Nagpur
plateau.
- Climate
became warm and dry, enabling human migration to new areas.
- Limited
major climate changes since then.
- Characteristic
tools: Microliths - pointed, crescent-shaped blades, scrapers
- Main
sources of sustenance: Hunting, fishing, food gathering.
- Later
stages included animal domestication.
- Last
phase marked the beginning of plant cultivation.
- Mesolithic
sites found in Chhotanagpur region, Central India, and south of the
Krishna river.
- Belan
valley in Vindhyas reveals the sequence of Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and
Neolithic phases.
- Similar
findings in the middle part of the Narmada valley.
- Neolithic
Age in India not earlier than 7000 BCE, in some places in South and
Eastern India as late as 1000 BCE.
Lifestyle and Tools
- People
depended on stone implements during this phase.
- Utilized
stones other than quartzite for making tools, which were more lethal,
finished, and polished.
- Cultivated
land and grew crops like ragi and horse gram.
- Domesticated
cattle, sheep, and goats.
- Knowledge
of making fire and pottery, initially by hand and later using a potter's
wheel.
- Painted
and decorated their pottery.
- Lived
in caves and decorated walls with hunting and dancing scenes.
- Had
the skill of boat-making.
- Could
weave cotton and wool to make cloth.
Later Phase of Neolithic
- Transitioned
to a more settled life.
- Lived
in circular and rectangular houses made of mud and reed.
Important Neolithic Sites
- Burzahom
(evidence of cremating pet dog with humans)
- Gufkral
in J&K (known for pit dwellings, stone tools, and house graveyards).
- Maski,
Brahmagiri, Tekkalakota in Karnataka.
- Paiyampatti
in Tamil Nadu.
- Piklihal
and Hallur in Andhra Pradesh.
- Garo
hills in Meghalaya.
- Chirand
and Senuwar in Bihar (noted for remarkable bone tools).
- Amri,
Kotdiji, etc.
Koldihawa in UP
- Revealed
a three-fold cultural sequence: Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Iron Age.
The Chalcolithic Period marks the
transition from the Neolithic Period to the use of metals, particularly copper.
Materials Used:
- Copper,
the first metal used during this period.
- Stone
tools, including hand axes.
- Black
and red pottery, predominantly wheel-made and painted with white line
designs.
Housing: Thatched houses were common, and burnt
bricks were not in use.
Economy: Primarily a village-based economy.
Religion: Worship of the mother goddess and
veneration of the bull were prominent.
Geographical Spread
Locations: Chalcolithic sites are found in various
regions of India, including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, and
Madhya Pradesh.
Chronological Phases
Pre-Harappan Phase:
- Some
Chalcolithic settlements in the Harappan zone are pre-Harappan in nature.
- Notable
examples include Kalibangan in Rajasthan, Banwali in Haryana, and Kot Diji
in Sind.
Contemporary with Harappan Culture:
- Some
Chalcolithic settlements coexisted with the Harappan culture.
- For
instance, the Kayatha culture in Madhya Pradesh (2000-1800 BCE).
Post-Harappan Phase:
- Certain
Chalcolithic cultures in these areas were influenced by the post-urban
phase of the Harappan culture.
Non-Harappan Chalcolithic Cultures
Malwa Culture:
- Found
in Navadatoli, Eran, and Nagda.
- Considered
non-Harappan.
Jorwe Culture:
- Covered
the whole of Maharashtra, except parts of Vidarbha and Konkan.
- Distinguished
as non-Harappan.
Southern and Eastern India
Independence from Harappan Culture:
- Chalcolithic
settlements in southern and eastern India existed independently of the
Harappan culture.
- Often
continued from Neolithic settlements in these regions.
Decline and Transformation
Disappearance of Central and Western Chalcolithic
Cultures:
- By
1200 BCE or so.
- Jorwe
culture continued until the second century BCE.
Cause of Decline:
- Attributed
to a decline in rainfall from around 1200 BCE.
- Chalcolithic
people faced challenges with the dry soil in black soil areas.
Transformation into Iron Age:
- In
red soil areas, especially in Eastern India, Chalcolithic culture was
immediately succeeded by the iron phase.
- In southern India, Chalcolithic culture transformed into megalithic culture with the use of iron.
Multiple Choice Questions
Early Human Presence in India
- Question:
What is the earliest evidence of human presence in India?
- a)
Early human fossils
- b)
Stone tools from 250,000 BCE
- c)
Pottery artifacts
- d)
Bronze sculptures
- Correct
Answer: b)
- Explanation:
Stone tools from 250,000 BCE indicate the earliest human presence in
India.
- Question:
Where were recent artifacts suggesting human presence 1.4 million years
ago discovered?
- a)
Delhi
- b)
Rajasthan
- c)
Bori, Maharashtra
- d)
Kerala
- Correct
Answer: c)
- Explanation:
Recent artifacts were found in Bori, Maharashtra, indicating human
presence around 1.4 million years ago.
Stone Age in India (First Appearance to 3000 BCE)
- Question:
During the Stone Age in India, what did humans primarily use for various
purposes?
- a)
Metal tools
- b)
Stone tools
- c) Wooden
tools
- d)
Glass tools
- Correct
Answer: b)
- Explanation:
Humans primarily used stone tools during the Stone Age in India.
- Question:
Which period of the Stone Age is characterized as the "Middle
Stone" Age?
- a)
Paleolithic Age
- b)
Mesolithic Age
- c) Neolithic
Age
- d)
Bronze Age
- Correct
Answer: b)
- Explanation:
The Mesolithic Age is known as the "Middle Stone" Age within
the Stone Age timeline.
- Question:
What is the Stone Age period known as when humans started using
agricultural practices and domesticated animals?
- a)
Paleolithic Age
- b)
Mesolithic Age
- c)
Neolithic Age
- d)
Iron Age
- Correct
Answer: c)
- Explanation:
The Neolithic Age is characterized by the adoption of agriculture and
animal domestication.
The Paleolithic Age (500,000 BCE - 10,000 BCE)
6. 6. Question:
When did the Paleolithic Age develop in India?
- a)
During the Neolithic period
- b)
During the Pleistocene period
- c)
During the Bronze Age
- d)
During the Holocene period
- Correct
Answer: b) During the Pleistocene period
- Explanation:
The Paleolithic Age in India developed during the Pleistocene period,
also known as the Ice Age.
Question: Which period is often referred to as the Ice Age?
· a) Holocene period
· b) Pleistocene period
· c) Neolithic period
· d) Bronze Age
· Correct Answer: b) Pleistocene period
· Explanation: The Pleistocene period is commonly known as the Ice Age.
- a)
Agriculture and pottery
- b)
Hunting and gathering wild fruits
- c)
Fishing and animal domestication
- d)
Mining and metalwork
- Correct
Answer: b) Hunting and gathering wild fruits
- Explanation:
People in the Paleolithic Age relied on hunting and gathering wild fruits
and vegetables for their sustenance.
- Question:
What type of tools did Paleolithic people primarily use?
- a)
Polished and refined metals
- b)
Unpolished, undressed rough stones
- c)
Advanced machinery
- d)
Clay pottery
- Correct
Answer: b) Unpolished, undressed rough stones
- Explanation:
Paleolithic people used tools made of unpolished, undressed rough stones.
- Question:
What name is given to Paleolithic people due to the type of rock their
tools were made from?
- a)
Flint Men
- b)
Quartzite Men
- c)
Granite Men
- d)
Obsidian Men
- Correct
Answer: b) Quartzite Men
- Explanation:
Paleolithic people are often called "Quartzite Men" because
their tools were made from hard rock called quartzite.
Phases of the Paleolithic Age
1 11. Question:
Which phase of the Paleolithic Age covers the greater part of the Ice Age?
- a)
Early Paleolithic
- b)
Middle Paleolithic
- c)
Upper Paleolithic
- d)
Mesolithic
- Correct
Answer: a) Early Paleolithic
- Explanation:
The Early Paleolithic Age covers the greater part of the Ice Age.
- Question:
What were the characteristic tools of the Early Paleolithic Age?
- a)
Burins and scrapers
- b)
Hand axes, cleavers, and choppers
- c)
Flint arrowheads and spearheads
- d)
Pottery and ceramics
- Correct
Answer: b) Hand axes, cleavers, and choppers
- Explanation:
Hand axes, cleavers, and choppers were characteristic tools of the Early
Paleolithic Age.
- Question:
In which locations have Early Paleolithic tools been found?
- a)
Ganges Valley and Thar Desert
- b)
Indus Valley and Deccan Plateau
- c)
Son and Sohan river valley, Belan Valley in Mirzapur district
- d)
Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats
- Correct
Answer: c) Son and Sohan river valley, Belan Valley in Mirzapur
district
- Explanation:
Early Paleolithic tools have been discovered in Son and Sohan river
valley and the Belan Valley.
- Question:
What types of tools are predominantly associated with the Middle
Paleolithic Phase?
- a)
Polished and refined metals
- b)
Stone tools made of flakes, including scrapers, borers, and blade-like
tools
- c)
Advanced machinery
- d)
Wooden implements
- Correct
Answer: b) Stone tools made of flakes, including scrapers, borers,
and blade-like tools
- Explanation:
The Middle Paleolithic Phase is characterized by stone tools made of
flakes, such as scrapers, borers, and blade-like tools.
- Question:
In which geographical locations were Middle Paleolithic tools primarily
found?
- a)
Indus Valley and Deccan Plateau
- b)
Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats
- c)
Valleys of Son, Narmada, and Tungabhadra rivers
- d)
Northern Plains and Thar Desert
- Correct
Answer: c) Valleys of Son, Narmada, and Tungabhadra rivers
- Explanation:
Middle Paleolithic tools were discovered in the valleys of Son, Narmada,
and Tungabhadra rivers.
- Question:
What characterized the Upper Paleolithic Phase?
- a)
A return to a more humid climate
- b)
Use of hand axes and cleavers
- c)
Warmer and less humid climate
- d)
Reliance on hunting exclusively
- Correct
Answer: c) Warmer and less humid climate
- Explanation:
The Upper Paleolithic Phase was marked by a warmer and less humid
climate.
- Question:
What types of tools are associated with the Upper Paleolithic Phase?
- a)
Flint knives and spears
- b)
Burins and scrapers
- c)
Hand axes and cleavers
- d)
Wooden tools and implements
- Correct
Answer: b) Burins and scrapers
- Explanation:
Burins and scrapers are characteristic tools of the Upper Paleolithic
Phase.
The Neolithic Era (7000 BCE - 2500 BCE)
Lifestyle and Tools
1 17. Question:
What did people in the Neolithic Era primarily depend on for their tools?
- a)
Iron
- b)
Stone implements
- c)
Bronze
- d)
Wood
- Correct
Answer: b) Stone implements
- Explanation:
People in the Neolithic Era primarily depended on stone implements for their
tools.
- Question:
What crops were cultivated by Neolithic people during this era?
- a)
Wheat and barley
- b)
Ragi and horse gram
- c)
Rice and millet
- d)
Maize and potatoes
- Correct
Answer: b) Ragi and horse gram
- Explanation:
Neolithic people cultivated crops like ragi and horse gram.
- Question:
What type of dwellings did Neolithic people transition to in the later
phase?
- a)
Caves
- b)
Tents
- c)
Circular and rectangular houses made of mud and reed
- d)
Underground bunkers
- Correct
Answer: c) Circular and rectangular houses made of mud and reed
- Explanation:
In the later phase of the Neolithic Era, people transitioned to living in
circular and rectangular houses made of mud and reed.
Important Neolithic Sites
2 20. Question:
Which Neolithic site in J&K is known for evidence of cremating pet dogs
with humans?
- a)
Maski
- b) Burzahom
- c)
Piklihal
- d)
Chirand
- Correct
Answer: b) Gufkral
- Explanation:
Burzahom in J&K is known for evidence of cremating pet dogs with
humans.
- Question:
Which state in India has the Neolithic sites of Maski, Brahmagiri, and
Tekkalakota?
- a)
Kerala
- b)
Tamil Nadu
- c)
Karnataka
- d)
Andhra Pradesh
- Correct
Answer: c) Karnataka
- Explanation:
Neolithic sites of Maski, Brahmagiri, and Tekkalakota are in Karnataka.
- Question:
In which region of India are the Garo hills, known for Neolithic sites,
located?
- a)
Northern Plains
- b)
Western Ghats
- c)
Himalayan Mountains
- d)
Meghalaya
- Correct
Answer: d) Meghalaya
- Explanation:
The Garo hills, known for Neolithic sites, are located in Meghalaya.
- Question:
What was revealed in Koldihawa in UP regarding cultural sequences?
- a)
A single cultural sequence
- b)
Two-fold cultural sequence
- c)
Three-fold cultural sequence: Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Iron Age
- d)
Four-fold cultural sequence
- Correct
Answer: c) Three-fold cultural sequence: Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and
Iron Age
- Explanation:
Koldihawa in UP revealed a three-fold cultural sequence: Neolithic, Chalcolithic,
and Iron Age.
Chalcolithic Period
Culture Characteristics
2 24. Question:
Which material was NOT commonly used by Chalcolithic cultures?
- a)
Copperware
- b)
Stone tools
- c)
Iron implements
- d)
Black and Red Pottery
- Correct
Answer: c) Iron implements
- Explanation:
Chalcolithic cultures primarily used copper, not iron.
- Question:
What type of houses did Chalcolithic people generally live in?
- a)
Brick houses
- b)
Thatched houses
- c)
Stone houses
- d)
Mud houses
- Correct
Answer: b) Thatched houses
- Explanation:
Thatched houses were common in Chalcolithic settlements.
Geographic Spread
2 26. Question:
In which Indian state were Chalcolithic sites found in region such as
Kalibangan?
- a)
Maharashtra
- b)
Rajasthan
- c)
West Bengal
- d)
Bihar
- Correct
Answer: b) Rajasthan
- Explanation:
Kalibangan (Rajasthan ) and Banwali (Haryana) are notable Chalcolithic
sites.
- Question:
Which region in India did NOT have Chalcolithic settlements?
- a)
Madhya Pradesh
- b)
West Bengal
- c)
Tamil Nadu
- d)
Bihar
- Correct
Answer: c) Tamil Nadu
- Explanation:
Chalcolithic settlements existed in regions like Madhya Pradesh, West
Bengal, and Bihar but not in Tamil Nadu.
Chronological Phases
2 28. Question:
What is another term for the early Chalcolithic period in the Harappan zone?
- a)
Proto-Indus
- b)
Mature Harappan
- c)
Pre-Neolithic
- d)
Mesolithic
- Correct
Answer: a) Proto-Indus
- Explanation:
The early Chalcolithic phase in the Harappan zone is also known as
Proto-Indus.
- Question:
Which phase in Madhya Pradesh is a junior contemporary of the Harappan
culture?
- a)
Pre-Neolithic
- b)
Kayatha Culture
- c)
Proto-Indus
- d) Post-Harappan
- Correct
Answer: b) Kayatha Culture
- Explanation:
Kayatha Culture in Madhya Pradesh is a junior contemporary of the
Harappan culture.
Non-Harappan Chalcolithic Cultures
3 30. Question:
Which culture found in Navadatoli, Eran, and Nagda is considered non-Harappan?
- a)
Proto-Indus
- b)
Malwa Culture
- c)
Kayatha Culture
- d)
Jorwe Culture
- Correct
Answer: b) Malwa Culture
- Explanation:
Malwa Culture is considered non-Harappan.
- Question:
Which region did the Jorwe Culture predominantly cover?
- a)
Vidarbha
- b)
Konkan
- c)
Rajasthan
- d)
Maharashtra
- Correct
Answer: d) Maharashtra
- Explanation:
Jorwe Culture covered most of Maharashtra except parts of Vidarbha and
Konkan.
Southern and Eastern India
3 32. Question:
In which parts of India did Chalcolithic settlements exist independently of the
Harappan culture?
- a)
Northern India
- b)
Southern India
- c)
Eastern India
- d)
Western India
- Correct
Answer: b) Southern India
- Explanation:
Chalcolithic settlements in southern India were independent of the Harappan
culture.
- Question:
What type of settlements were found in the Vindhyan region, Bihar, and
Bengal during the Chalcolithic period?
- a)
Urban
- b)
Rural
- c)
Harappan
- d)
Independent
- Correct
Answer: b) Rural
- Explanation:
The Chalcolithic settlements in these regions were not related to the
Harappan culture and were rural in nature.
Decline and Transformation
3 34. Question:
What is attributed to the downfall of Chalcolithic cultures around 1200 BCE?
- a)
Rise of Harappan culture
- b) Increased
rainfall
- c)
Reduced rainfall
- d)
Introduction of iron
- Correct
Answer: c) Reduced rainfall
- Explanation:
The decline is attributed to a decline in rainfall.
- Question:
In which areas did Chalcolithic cultures transition into the Iron Age
without any gap?
- a)
Central and Western India
- b)
Eastern India
- c)
Southern India
- d)
Northern India
- Correct
Answer: b) Eastern India
- Explanation:
In Eastern India, the Chalcolithic phase was immediately followed by the
Iron Age.
- Question:
What did several Chalcolithic cultures in southern India transform into?
- a)
Bronze Age cultures
- b)
Megalithic cultures
- c)
Harappan cultures
- d)
Neolithic cultures
- Correct
Answer: b) Megalithic cultures
- Explanation:
Chalcolithic cultures in southern India transformed into megalithic
cultures using iron.
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