Lithic Ages : 

Ancient Indian History starts from the Pre-Historic Age, where people of that time were classified depending on the tools they used for their survival, huning and living through ages of history. The Lithic ages are divided into mainly three different ages, namely Stone Age, Copper Age and Bronze Age. Let us study the Lithic Ages briefly below:

Lithic Ages: Stone, Copper and Bronze Ages

• Stone Age [5 Lakh BCE – 4000BCE] :
  Depending on the shape and size of the stones used for survival during the Stone Age, it is further divided into three more ages. They are Paleolithic age, Mesolithic age and Neolithic age. In this age the main tool usefd for survival were stones.

          i.  Paleolithic Age [5 lakh BCE – 10000BCE] :
             – The tools i.e stones used during this age were not perfectly shaped. They were random stones which people of that age used for their survival and hunt.

            – Important Peleolithic Age Sites include: Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh), Narmada Valley (Madhya Pradesh), Hunsgi Karnool Caves, Kaladgi Basin.

          ii. Mesolithic Age [10000 BCE – 8000 BCE] :
           – The tools i.e stones used during this age were small in size as compared to the Paleolithic Age and also they started to sharpen the edges of the stones.

          – Microliths i.e a small stone tool usually made of flint or chert and typically about a centimetre  in length and half a centimetre wide were used during this age.

          – Cattle rearing i.e keeping domestic animals started during this age.

          – Important Mesolithic Age sites include: Narmada Valley (Madhya Pradesh).

         iii. Neolithic Age [8000 BCE – 4000 BCE] :
           – Sharp stone tools came during this age, which were small in size and also were very efficient than the stones used before.
– Agriculture and Animal husbandry prevailed and became common during this age.
– Important Neolithic Age sites include: Mehargarh.

• Copper Age [4000 BCE – 1500 BCE] :
  – Copper Age is also known as Chalcolithic Age or Copper Stone Age. In this age, copper tools came  and tools like copper swords, etc developed during this age.

• Iron Age [1500 BCE – 200 BCE] :
  – Iron metal came in this Age.

  – This age is also known as Bronze Age as the people during this age learned to make mixtures of metals to make them more resistive.

Ancient Indian History Notes for SSC and RRB exams