Prehistory of South Asia



Topics: 1. Prehistory: Subject matter, scope and aims. Major stages of hominin evolution in the PlioPleistocene: Austraopithecines and the beginnings of bipedalism; the Genus Homo in the light of recent discoveries; Homo neanderthalis; Homo sapiens; morphology, geographical distribution, chronology and association with tool making; recent debates on hominin dispersal into or from South Asia, with particular emphasis on the spread of anatomically modern humans. 2. The Quaternary period, timescale and paleoclimate. Quaternary environments in India: Peninsular India; East coast of Peninsular India; Saurashtra; Rajasthan; Kashmir and other intermontane basins; the Indo-Gangetic plains; Chotanagpur plateau. 3. Introduction to Prehistoric technology and typology—methods of studying stone tools. 4. Lower Paleolithic cultures—chronology, ecological context, assemblage, association with fauna, distribution of sites, regional studies—recent research on technology, Large Flake Acheulian--understanding of the settlement pattern in the light of recent research in hunter gatherer studies. 5. Middle and Upper Paleolithic cultures in India—chronology, ecological context, assemblage, association with fauna, distribution of sites, regional studies-- understanding of the settlement pattern in the light of recent research in hunter gatherer studies—recent research in microlithic industries, revision of chronology and implications. 6. Mesolithic cultures in India –chronology, ecological context, assemblage, association with fauna, distribution of sites, regional studies-- understanding of the settlement pattern in the light of recent research in hunter gatherer studies. 7. Modes of disposal of the dead in stone age cultures of India: cultural implications 8. Stone age rock art in India 9. Transition from hunting-gathering to food production in the Vindhyas and Ganga valley. Select readings Chakravarty, K. K., and R. G. Bednarik. 1997. Indian Rock Art in Global Context. Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass & IGRMS. Clark, J.D. and Sharma, G.R. (Eds.) Palaeoenvironment and Prehistory in the Middle Son Valley, Madhya Pradesh, North Central India. Allahabad: Abinash Prakashan.

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