Ancient India: Customs and Practices

Early Societies

• The earliest inhabitants of India were hunters and gatherers.
• The shift from a nomadic lifestyle to settled communities occurred with the introduction of agriculture.
• This transition marked the beginning of village life.
• Villages started to develop as a result of settled agricultural practices.
• The skills of the inhabitants led to the planning and construction of cities, giving rise to civilizations like the Indus Valley Civilization.
• Over time, people organized themselves into large kingdoms.
• Central administrations were established to govern these kingdoms effectively.

Early Indian Regions

Narmada:

• • Earliest inhabitants: skilled gatherers.
  • Proficient in identifying plants and collecting roots, fruits.

  • Engaged in hunting animals for food.

Sulaiman and Kirthar Hills (Current Sindh):

• • Early cultivation of crops (wheat, barley) around 8000 years ago.
  • Commenced animal rearing practices.

Garo Hills & Vindhya:

• • Region where agriculture developed.
  • Introduction of rice cultivation to the north of the Vindhyas.

Indus:

• • About 4700 years ago, witnessed the flourishing of some of the earliest cities.

Son (Ganga tributary):

• • Magadha rulers established a powerful kingdom in the region.

Early Human Sites and Tool Development

• Factory Sites:
  • Places where stone was found and tools were crafted.
• Habitation-cum-factory:
  • Some sites served as both living spaces and tool-making centers.
• Kurnool Site (Current Andhra Pradesh):
  • Traces of ash discovered, indicating familiarity with the use of fire.
• Paleolithic Period:
  • 2 million to 12,000 years ago.
  • Divided into Lower, Middle, and Upper Palaeolithic.
  • Encompasses 99% of human history.
  • Importance lies in the discovery of stone tools.
• Mesolithic Period:
  • 12,000 to 10,000 years ago.
  • Environmental changes influence this period.
  • Stone tools become tiny, termed microliths.
  • Microliths likely attached to bone or wood handles for tools like saws and sickles.
  • Coexistence of older tool varieties.
• Ostrich in India (Palaeolithic Period):
  • At Patne in Maharashtra, large quantities of shells found.
  • Some shells display engraved designs.

Changing life and Gradual Settlement: Food, Agriculture, Tools

• Changing Climate:
  • The world’s climate was undergoing changes, influencing both plants and animals used as food.
• Agricultural Practices:
  • People began to look after and grow plants, marking the emergence of farmers.
• Animal Domestication:
  • The first animal to be tamed was the wild ancestor of the dog.
  • Later, relatively gentle animals like sheep, goats, and cattle were domesticated.
  • People who protected these animals from wild attacks were known as herders.
• Gradual Domestication:
  • Domestication was a gradual process, initiating about 12,000 years ago.
• Burzahom (Kashmir):
  • In Burzahom (present-day Kashmir), people built pit-houses, dug into the ground with steps leading into them.
  • These pit-houses may have provided shelter, especially in cold weather.
• Neolithic Tools:
  • Stone tools from these sites differed from earlier Palaeolithic tools, earning them the term Neolithic.
  • Many kinds of earthen pots have been discovered at these sites.
• Hunters and Gatherers:
  • Despite domestication, some places continued to have hunters and gatherers.
• Combining Activities:
  • In some cases, people attempted to combine hunting, gathering, and early agricultural activities.

Culture of Early Human Societies

• Farmers and Herders:
  • Many farmers and herders live in groups known as tribes.
• Role of Women:
  • Women play a significant role in agricultural work, including preparing the ground.
• Child Involvement:
  • Children often participate by looking after plants and driving away animals.
• Leadership Roles:
  • Some men are regarded as leaders, varying from experienced elders to young, brave warriors or priests.
• Cultural Traditions:
  • Tribes have rich and unique cultural traditions, often having their own gods and goddesses.

Sites

• Mehrgarh Site

  • Located near Bolan Pass in current Balochistan, a crucial route into Iran.
  • One of the earliest villages known, where people learned to grow barley and wheat and rear sheep and goats.
  • Transition from hunting to herding evident in the excavation findings.
  • Remains of square or rectangular houses discovered.
  • Belief in some form of life after death reflected in burial grounds.

• Daojali Hading

  • Site located in hills near the Brahmaputra Valley.
  • Stone tools, including mortars and pestles, indicate an agricultural lifestyle.
  • Use of jadeite, possibly brought from China.
  • Tools made of fossil wood also in usage.