Map of Palaeolithic Sites in India
Division of Ancient Indian History
History of Ancient India has been divided by the historians into 3 periods:
– Pre-Historic Period (2 Million BC – 2,500 BC)
– Proto-Historic Period (2,500 BC – 600 BC)
– Historical Period (600 BC Onwards)
Pre-Historic Period is further sub-divided into 3 Ages:
– Palaeolithic Age
– Mesolithic Age
– Neolithic Age
Phases in Palaeolithic Age
Palaeolithic Age extended from about 20 Lakh Years Ago to 10,000 Years ago. (In India, it is said to have existed since as early as 5,00,000 BC.)
- Early/Lower Palaeolithic – 5,00,000 BC to 50,000 BC
- Middle Palaeolithic – 50,000 BC to 40,000 BC
- Upper Palaeolithic – 40,000 – 10,000 BC
List of Palaeolithic Sites in India
Evidences of Palaeolithic Sites are found in various parts of India as following:
- Bhimbetka Caves (Madhya Pradesh)
- Hunsgi (Karnataka)
- Belan Valley (Uttar Pradesh)
- Kurnool Caves (Andhra Pradesh)
- Attirampakkam (Tamil Nadu)
- Chirki-Nevasa (Maharashtra)
- Didwana (Rajasthan)
- Soan Valley (Pakistan)
- Adamgarh (Madhya Pradesh)
- Hathnora (Madhya Pradesh)
- Singhbhum (Jharkhand)
Details of some Major Palaeolithic Sites in India
Bhimbetka Caves (MP)
– Location: Situated in present day Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh.
Check Bhimbetka Caves on India Map
– Significance: UNESCO World Heritage Site.
– Findings: Upper Palaeolithic rock shelters.
Paintings depict daily life, animals, rituals.
Hunsgi (Karnataka)
– Location: Archaeological site in Yadgiri District, Karnataka, India.
Check Hunsgi on India Map
– Significance: Rich in Lower Paleolithic findings.
Insight into prehistoric primate activities and cultural development.
– Findings: Tools discovered, reflecting early human technology.
Belan Valley (Uttar Pradesh)
– Location: Uttar Pradesh, India, around Belan River.
Check Belan Valley on India Map
– Significance: Reveals long history of early human habitation (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic)
– Findings: Stone tools, animal bones, earliest evidence of rice cultivation in India.
– Evidences of domestication of Animals
– Key Sites: Chopani Mando and Koldihwa.
Kurnool Caves (Andhra Pradesh)
– Location: Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India
Check Kurnool Caves on India Map
– Significance: Archaeological evidence of prehistoric habitation
– Geological insights into cave formation.
– Findings: Stone tools, bone fragments, ash layers
This information about Palaeolithic Sites in India along with detailed Map and simplified list is useful not only for the preparation of UPSC but also for other competitive exams or academic studies focused on Indian history, geography and archaeology. It aids in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the Palaeolithic era and its impact on the cultural and historical landscape of India.
Also Check:
– Rivers in India – Map
– Archaeological Survey of India Website [External]
– Mountain Ranges in India – Map