Introduction:
The Neolithic culture in India is known since the middle of the 19th century. In 1842, captain Meadows Tylor picked up the first Neolithic took a polished stone axe, in Lingasagur in Raichur District, Karnataka. In 1872, Fraser discovered the first Neolithic settlement in Bellary District, Karnataka. Later, Robert Bruce Foot discovered more than 200 Neolithic sites in South India.
The Neolithic culture in other parts of India came to light a little later. Several early scholars of the 19th century discovered the Neolithic sites in Khasi and Garo Hills in Meghalaya, Brahmaputra Valley and Cachar Hills in Assam, and the western Districts of Bankura, Birbhum, Midnapore and Purulia in West Bengal. In the 20 century several amateurs and professionals explored hundreds of Neolithic sites in India. The arte- factual evidence from the excavated sites and the surface sites help reconstruction of a fairly good picture of the culture of the Neolithic people in India.
Geographical distribution:
The Neolithic culture in India occurs in the following three zones:
- The Northern Zone as represented by Burzhom , Gufrakal, Martand and other places in the Kashmir Valley;
- The Southern Zone as represented by Nagarjunakonda , Utnoor and Palavoy in Andhra Pradesh, Bairampalli and Paiyampalli in Tamilnadu and Brahmagiri , Anganakallu , Kupgal, PIklihal, Tekkalakota , Hallur , Kodakal , T.Narsipur , Hemmige , Maski and a few other places in Karnataka; and
- The Eastern Zone as represented by Chirand in Bihar, Panduraj Dibi in Burdwan dist, Mahisdal, Nannur and Haripur in West Bengal and Kuchai in Mayurbhanj District in Orissa, and Deojali Hading in the North Cachar Hills in Assam.
Environment:
The climatic conditions varied from one zone to another. People in Burzhom experienced cool weather because of the higher elevation and also the lake situated to the north of the settlement.
At Chirand people experienced mild cool weather. The area surrounded by Panduraj Dibi is mountains tract. Therefore this area also experienced somewhat cool climate.
The people living in the South experienced hot climate. Everywhere the sites were surrounded by hills and valleys.
The surroundings of Burzhom contained a thick forest supporting plenty of plant life and small as well as large fauna. The nearby lake provided excellent fishing grounds. The people of Chirand had plenty of forest wealth in their surroundings. The fossil evidence shows a rich variety of small medium and large animals living in this forest. The river was a perpetual source for fishing. The inhabitants of Panduraj Dibi exploited vast wilderness in their surroundings. They utilized the forest hill slopes for the purpose of shifting cultivation. There was a network of rovers providing adequate grounds for fishing.
Chronology:
The Neolithic culture in India existed between 4000 B.C and 1050 BC, Khazanchi estimated that Burzhom Neolithic started prior to 2375-1400 BC. According to Wheeler, Subbarao , Allchin, Nagarajrao and others the Neolithic in Karnataka existed between 1800 to 1500 B.C. On other hand. Allchin fixes dates of Utnoor culture as 2335-2170 B,C. In general, the Southern Neolithic was estimated to be existing between 2500 to 1100 B.C. There is a wide gap between the Palaeolithic period and the beginning times of Neolithic culture in Kashmir Valley.
Materials:
Like the people in the preceding phases, those in the Neolithic phase also utilized the locally available raw materials for making different types of tools. Basalt, dolerite and epidierate were the raw materials frequently used by the Neolithic.