Unit 1.1: Palaeolithic Age (Old Stone Age)

Type 1: Detailed Notes (Comprehensive Masterclass)

1. Introduction & Significance

The term Palaeolithic is derived from the Greek words palaeos (old) and lithos (stone), representing the Old Stone Age. This period belongs to the Pleistocene geological era (the Great Ice Age), where the earth was covered in ice and the climate was extremely cold.

Significance:

• It marks the longest period of human history (99%).

• In India, human settlement appeared later than in Africa but was contemporaneous with other Asian regions.

• It represents the "Parasitic Stage" of human economy where man was purely a consumer (Hunter-Gatherer), not a producer.

2. Chronological Timeline

• Lower Palaeolithic (5,00,000 – 1,00,000 BC): Greatest part of the Ice Age.

• Middle Palaeolithic (1,00,000 – 40,000 BC): Evolution of early Homo sapiens.

• Upper Palaeolithic (40,000 – 10,000 BC): Emergence of modern Homo sapiens sapiens.

3. Concept Explanation / Deep Dive

• The Anthropological Link: The period saw the evolution from Homo erectus (Lower) to Homo sapiens (Middle) and finally Homo sapiens sapiens (Upper).

• Lithic Technology Traditions:

  • Soanian Tradition: Found in the NW Potwar Plateau; focuses on Chopper-Chopping tools.

  • Acheulian Tradition: Found in Central and South India; focuses on Hand-axes and Cleavers.

• The Raw Material Shift: Humans initially used Quartzite (hence called "Quartzite Men"). Later, they shifted to finer stones like Chert, Jasper, and Chalcedony as their tool-making skills improved.

4. Key Terminology Box

5. Important Archaeological / Factual Details

• Pallavaram (TN): First hand-axe discovered by Robert Bruce Foote (1863).

• Hathnora (MP): Discovery of the "Narmada Human" (Homo erectus)—India's only prehistoric human fossil.

• Bhimbetka (MP): World-famous for Green and Dark Red prehistoric paintings.

• Belan Valley (UP): Provided the earliest "Mother Goddess" figurine made of bone.

• Patne (Maharashtra): Discovery of Ostrich eggshells with engravings.

6. Tools, Lifestyle, Culture

• Tools:

  • Lower: Hand-axes, Choppers, Cleavers (heavy-duty).

  • Middle: Scrapers, Borers, Awls (flake-based).

  • Upper: Blades, Burins, Bone tools (precision-based).

• Lifestyle: Nomadic; lived in open air, river valleys, or rock shelters.

• Language: Homo erectus used primitive sounds/sign language; modern language appeared in the Upper Palaeolithic.

7. Frequently Asked Exam Facts

• Father of Indian Pre-history: Robert Bruce Foote.

• Fire: Evidence of ash at Kurnool Caves (AP).

• Pottery: Absolutely Absent in the Palaeolithic.

• Factory Sites: Hunsgi (Karnataka) and Rohiri Hills (Sindh).

8. Comparison Tables / Charts

9. Flowchart Summary

Quartzite Core $\rightarrow$ Repeated Flaking $\rightarrow$ Hand-axe (Lower) $\rightarrow$ Prepared Core (Middle) $\rightarrow$ Thin Blade (Upper) $\rightarrow$ Microlith (Mesolithic).

10. Spatial Context

11. Ultra-Short Exam Capsule

• 1863: Robert Bruce Foote.

• Fire: Kurnool Caves.

• Fossil: Hathnora.

• Art: Bhimbetka.

• Bone Tools: Rare (Kurnool only).

Type 2: Quick Revision & Exam Tricks

1. Highlights & Tricky Points

• Fire: Ash was found at Kurnool, but they didn't know how to "master" it for agriculture or pottery yet.

• Quartzite Men: This name applies strictly to the Lower Palaeolithic phase.

• Language: Complex language is a gift of the Upper Palaeolithic only.

2. Common Exam Traps

• Trap 1: They were NOT food producers. If you see "Agriculture" in a Palaeolithic question, it's wrong.

• Trap 2: Microliths are often put in options. Remember: Microliths = Mesolithic.

• Trap 3: Confusing Attirampakkam (Stone Age) with Arikamedu (Trade Port).

3. Memory Aids / Mnemonics

• "Foote-Pallavaram": Foote walked on his feet to find the tool at Pallavaram.

• "Middle-Nevasa-Flake" (MNF): Middle is Nevasian and focuses on Flakes.

• "K-K": Kurnool for Kindling (Fire).

Type 3: PYQs & Expected Questions

1. Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

• Question: Who is called the Father of Indian Pre-history? Final Answer: Robert Bruce Foote.

• Question: In which state is the prehistoric site of Bhimbetka located? Final Answer: Madhya Pradesh.

• Question: The term "Quartzite Men" is associated with? Final Answer: Palaeolithic humans.

• Question: Where was the first evidence of fire (ash) found in India? Final Answer: Kurnool Caves.

2. Expected / High-Probability Questions

• Question: Which site is known for "Blade-and-Burin" industries in the Eastern Ghats? Final Answer: Rallakalava and Gunjuna valleys.

• Question: In which phase did Homo sapiens sapiens first appear? Final Answer: Upper Palaeolithic.

• Question: Which site provided the Bone Mother Goddess figurine? Final Answer: Belan Valley (UP).

• Question: Which material replaced Quartzite in the Middle Palaeolithic? Final Answer: Chert and Jasper.