PRELIMS REVISION QUIZ (DAY-09)

BHIMBETKA PREHISTORIC ROCK PAINTINGS

Location : In rock shelters of Vindhyan ranges near Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

The caves of Bhimbetka having more than 500 rock paintings were discovered in 1957–58 by V. S. Wakankar.

It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.

The oldest paintings are estimated to be 30,000 years old and have survived due to its location deep inside the caves.

In some places, there are as many as 20 layers of paintings, one on top of another.

The paintings of Bhimbetka belong to Upper Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Chalcolithic, early historic and medieval period.

However, most of the paintings belong to the Mesolithic age.

Various colours in paintings like red ochre, purple, brown, white, yellow and green are used, obtained from natural resources.

Themes of Bhimbetka paintings - Every-day life of prehistoric men depicted using simple geometric designs and symbols.

Various animals like elephant, bison, deer, peacock and snake are depicted.

Hunting scenes and war scenes with armed men.

MEGALITHS

Megalithic culture is associated with massive stones or menhirs, most probably built as commemorative establishments for burial of the dead.

Types of Megalith structures

Menhir : Menhir is a single upright stone erected in prehistoric times; sometimes called a “standing stone”.

Dolmen : A Dolmen is a megalithic form created by placing a large capstone on two or more support stones creating a chamber below, sometimes closed in on one or more sides. Often used as a tomb or burial chamber.

Megaliths in India are dated before 3000 B.C., with recent findings dated back to 5000 B.C. in southern India.

Megaliths are found in almost all parts of southern India. Megaliths of Brahmagiri, which were excavated in 1975 helped establish the culture sequence in south Indian prehistory.

EARLIEST EVIDENCE OF HUMAN EXISTENCE IN INDIA

The earliest evidence of existence of human in India have been found in Madhya Pradesh’s Hathnora village in Narmada Valley.

The "Narmada Man" was Homo erectus, the species of man preceding the modern human species, Homo sapiens.

BURZAHOM

Burzahom archaeological site is located in the Kashmir Valley.

On the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

It represents Neolithic Age.

Important findings

1⃣ Pit dwellings - The inhabitants of Burzahom used to live in underground pits.

2⃣ Dogs were buried along with their masters.

The Primitive man

➤ Knew the controlled use of fire since Lower Paleolithic Age

➤ Domesticated animals in Mesolithic Age

➤ Invented wheel in Neolithic Age

➤ Started agriculture in Neolithic Age