Hunter gatherers

Hunter-gatherers

Human development in the early history can be characterized by the creation and use of stone tools.

The Stone Age is typically divided into three major periods,

1. Paleolithic (Old Stone Age)---

Hunter Gatherers
Stone or bone tools
Hunting animal fishing and gathering food.
Lived in caves.
Lived as small groups or bands.
Cave paintings and Carvings..
Approximately 2.6 million years ago to around 12,000 BCE
Movement due to rising sea levels and climate changes

2. Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age)

Used small stone tools (Polished and Crafted)
Spears and arrows are used to hunt animals.
Lived as nomadic groups near rivers or near water bodies.
Advancement in fishing technology and making of huts.
Agriculture also started.
Approximately 12,000 BCE to around 10,000 BCE

3. Neolithic period (New Stone Age)

More focus on agriculture and food production.
Domesticated animals and cultivated cereal grains.
More polished stone tools such as sickle, axes etc.
Framing, pottery, sewing and weaving
Settled villagers
Approximately 10,000 BCE to around 3,500 BCE

Other ages of human history include: Bronze Age (Copper) and Iron Age(Steel).

We describe people who lived in the subcontinent 2 million years ago as hunter-gatherers.

• The name comes from the way in which they got their food.

• Generally, they hunted wild animals, caught fish and birds, gathered fruits, roots, nuts, seeds, leaves, stalks and eggs.

The reasons why hunter-gatherers moved from place to place:-

→ They eaten up all the available plants and animals resources where they stay for the long time, for the search of food they have to move from place to place.

→ Animals moved from place to place, so these people had to follow their movements for hunting purposes

→ Because of seasons change some of the plants and trees don’t bear fruits so people have to move place to place in search of different kinds of plants.

→ Plants, animals and people needs water, people need water during dry seasons that’s why they travelled on foot from place to place.

How Do We Know About These People?

Archaeologists have found some of the things hunter-gatherers made and used.

They made and used tools of stone, wood and bone, of which stone tools have survived best.

Where did they live in the past?

People preferred to live in places having the following availability.

They lived near the sources of water, such as rivers and lakes.

People tried to find places where a good quality stone was easily available as it was important for hunting.

Archaeologists have found evidence of hunter gatherers in many places such as in Kurnool Caves (Andhra Pradesh) , Bhimbetka Rock Shelters in Madhya Pradesh.

In the cave, Archaeologists found traces of Ash. It shows that they used Fire for:

As a source of light
To roast meat
To scare away animals

Bhimbetka

Kurnool

A Changing Environment

Around 12,000 years ago, the temperature of the world started increasing.

• In many areas, this led to the development of grasslands.

→ This increased the number of deer, antelope, goat, sheep and cattle, i.e. animals that survived on grass.

• People started thinking about herding and rearing these animals themselves.

• Fishing also became important.

A changing environment

• Around 12,000 years ago, the temperature of the world started increasing.

• In many areas, this led to the development of grasslands.

→ This increased the number of deer, antelope, goat, sheep and cattle, i.e. animals that survived on grass.

• People started thinking about herding and rearing these animals themselves.

• Fishing also became important.

People also attract and then tame animals by leaving food for them near their shelters.

The first animal to be tamed was the wild ancestor of the dog.

Animals such as sheep, goats, cattle and also pigs lived in herds, and most of them ate grass.\

Often, people protect these animals from attacks by other wild animals.

This is how they became herders.

A New Way of Life (How did hunter Gatherers Become Farmers and Herders?)

Farmers

With the development of grassland, people came to know about growing wheat, barley, and rice

in different parts of the subcontinent. This is how they started practising farming.

People had to stay in the same place for a long time looking after the plants, watering, weeding,

driving away animals and birds – till the grain ripened.

Then they start thinking of storing the grain for food and seeds. They began making large clay pots, or wove baskets, or dug pits into the ground.

Herders

People also attract and then tame animals by leaving food for them near their shelters.

The first animal to be tamed was the wild ancestor of the dog.

Animals such as sheep, goats, cattle and also pigs lived in herds, and most of them ate grass.

Often, people protect these animals from attacks by other wild animals.

Animals that were reared could be used as a ‘store’ of food.

This is how they became herders.

Archaeologists have found the evidences of early farmers and herders in the following places:
Burzahom (Jammu & Kashmir)
Koldihwa(Utter Pradesh)
Chirand (Bihar)
Mehrgarh (Pakistan)
Hallur (Karnataka)
Mahagara (UtterPradesh)
Daojali Hading (Assam)

Archaeologists have found different types of huts and various houses

in these places that show these people have had a settled life.

Cooking Hearths were discovered both inside and outside the house,

and archaeologists assume that they would cook wherever based on the

weather condition.

The tools found were excellent cut and well-polished which were

made for people to hunt down animals and also for cutting up things.

Different types of cooking utensils were also found like earthen pots

which must have been kept for storing items or also as a decorative

item.