Mesolithic Sites in India

Mesolithic Sites in India

Mesolithic sites in India are spread across various regions, with notable examples including Bhimbetka, Adamgarh, and Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh, Bagor and Tilwara in Rajasthan, and Langhnaj in Gujarat.

Tilwara

• In Barmer district, Rajasthan on the bank of Luni river.
• Known as the westernmost Mesolithic site in India.
• It has two phases.
  • First phase is Mesolithic and characterized by the presence of microliths.
  • The second phase has yielded wheel-made pottery, some pecies of iron, glass bead along with microliths.
• Circular arrangement of stones on the ground indicate habitation structure.
• Diet of people included both meat and vegetable food.
• Fire hearts, charred bones indicate settlement of mesolithic culture.
• Stone working site found.

Bagor(Largest Microlithic site in India)

• In Bhilwara district of Eastern Rajasthan, close to Kothari River.
• One of the best documented mesolithic sites.
• Three occupational levels: mesolithic, chalcolithic and evidence of iron.
• Microliths:
  • Microliths made of locally available chert and quartz, were found.
  • A large number of geometric microliths such as triangles and trapezes.
• House:
  • House floors paved with stone slabs were found.
  • Circular arrangements of stone.
  • Stone-paved areas with a large number of animal bones were butchering areas.
• Domestication: Animals bones of domesticated animals sheep/ goat, cattle have been found.
• Only one burial was uneartherd and there was no evidence of grave goods.
• Other discoveries:
  • Ring stones (used as hammer stones to make microliths), and rubbing stones (for grinding food).
  • Small bits of pottery of microlith phase found.

Langhnaj

• In Mehsana district, Gujarat.
• Most extensively studied site in Gujarat.
• The occupational deposit was divided into three periods. Period I was mesolithic and yielded
  • microliths,
  • human burials,
  • bones of wild animals, and
  • some potsherds.
• 14 human skeleton with cut marks on forehead found.
• Symbiotic relationship with Harappan urban culture:- Honey and hunted meat was sent to Harappan urban centres.

Loteshwar and Ratanpura

• Both almost at same place
• This site is locally also known as Khari-no-timbo and located on a high sand dune on left bank of Khari river,Pattan district, Gujarat.
• The occupational deposit here is divided in three periods.
• Period I was Mesolithic and yielded microliths, human burials and bones of wild animals like mongoose, rhinoceros etc.
• Also some potsherds (broken ceramic material) were found.
• Microliths are mainly blades, triangles , crescents, scrapers and burins.
• Bones of domesticated cattle,sheep have been recently reported from this site.

Bhimbetka

• Rock shelters in the Raisen District in Madhya Pradesh.
• Mainly Paleolithic and Mesolithic period.
• A World Heritage site.
• Tools:
  • Earlier (Palaeolithic) tools were largely made of quartzite and sandstone and were of large size.
• Mesolithic
  • Mesolithic tools include blade and geometric microliths.
  • Shift from quartz to chalcodeny in Mesolithic Age is evident.
• Floors paved with flat stone slabs found.
• No bones have been found so far.
• Rock cave paintings:
  • A natural art gallery with rock cave paintings.
  • Numerous layers (Paleolithic-Mesolithic) of paintings with themes like hunting by men, dancing, children paying, women working, sign of proto-family set up etc.
• Ostrich egg shell beads have been found that dates back to upper Palaeolithic.

Adamgarh

• Situated at south of Narmada river in Hoshangabad district Madhya Pradesh.
• Famous for the pre-historic rock shelters and paintings done in red and white colours.
• Palaeolithic and Mesolithic tools found.
  • Microliths found here. Geometric microliths (triangles and trapezes) were very common.
• One of the earliest evidence for the domestication of animals( Domestic and Wild) comes from this site.
• Mare head and hammer stones were also found.
• Pottery at microlithic level found.

Sundargarh

• Located in Sundargarh district, Odisha.
• Middle Palaeolithic site in Mahanadi and Brahmani river valleys.
• Various microliths have been excavated.
• This site is also famous for mesolithic cave painting .
• Tools: scrapers, notches, denticulates.
  • Made on flakes using flint and quartzite.
  • Tools found on denuded hill slopes and river terraces.
• Part of eastern India’s Palaeolithic cultural zone.

Gambharia

• Mayurbhanj District of Odisha

Dari-Dungri (Sambalpur district, Odisha)

• Located in the Mahanadi river basin, western Odisha.
• Lower and Middle Palaeolithic site, with overlap into early Mesolithic.
• Functioned as a large habitation-cum-working site.
• Tool Assemblage:
  • Tools include handaxes, cleavers, flakes, and blades.
  • Use of Levallois technique in tool-making.
  • Tools made on quartzite and other hard rocks.
• Cultural Evidence:
  • Evidence of continuous occupation.
  • Large number of tools indicates on-site tool production.
  • Significant site for studying Palaeolithic–Mesolithic transition in Eastern India.

Kuchai

• Near Mayurbhanj in Odisha.
• Two fold culture – Mesolithic and Neolithic found.
• A large number of microliths have been excavated at this site.
• Tools – Chisels, pounders, mare heads and grinding stones.

Birbhanpur

• Close to Damodar river in Burdwan district in West Bengal.
• Mesolithic stone tools made of quartz, some of chert and chalcedony, were found here.
• Birbhanpur industry dominated with big flakes and blade tools.
• Main microlith type- Lunate type.
• Triangle and trapezes absent.
• Both a habitation and a factory site.
• Post holes found here.
• No hearth, bone or human burials found.
• Studied by BB Lai.

Paisra

• Situated in Munger district, Bihar.
• Paleolithic and Mesolithic site.
• A stone working site containing finished and semi-finished tools found.
• The evidence for the construction of huts and temporary shelters found.
• Apart from microliths, there are traces of numerous fire places found.
• The raw material for making tools, i.e. stone, was probably heated before flaking.
• The thin layer of Mesolithic habitation suggests that people did not live at this place for a long time.
• No organic remains have been reported.
• Eight post holes (to support thatched huts) have been found. 7000 BC is the time period.

Damdama

• On the banks of Sai river in Pratapgarh district, U.P.
• It is stratified Mesolithic settlements.
• Faunal materials with identified bones of domestic and wild animals.
• 1.5m thick occupational deposit with microliths, bone objects, querns and mullers, anvils, and hammer stones.
• There were hearths(Fireplace), burnt floor plaster, charred wild grain, and animal bones.
• Burial:
  • Four multiple burials among 41 human burials have been found
  • One of the graves, an ivory penchant was found among the grave goods.
• Domesticated rice has been reported.

Mahadaha

• In Pratapgarh district, U.P.
• It is stratified Mesolithic settlements.
• A 60 cm thick occupational deposit with distinct habitational and butchering region has been excavated.
• Microliths:
  • The microliths were made of chert, quartz, chalcedony, crystal, and agate.
  • Brought from long distances.
• Burials:
  • 21 burials including two instances of a man and woman buried together, were found.
  • Elliptical burial with sloping base has been found.
  • The grave goods included microliths, shells, burnt pieces of animal bones, bone arrowheads and rings, and ochre pieces.
  • Analysis shows that dental health of people was good, but many of them suffered from osteoarthritis.
• Bone:
  • From butchering area, bones of wild cattle, hippopotamus, deer, pig and turtle have been found.

Sarai Nahar Rai

• In Pratapgarh district of U.P.
• The site is dated to 8400 ± 150 BCE.
• It is stratified Mesolithic settlements.
• Geometric microliths along with shells and animal bones found.
• Human burials:
  • Within the habitation area. 13 burials of men, women and child with heads westward.
  • One of the buried skeletons had an arrow embedded in its ribs.
  • Microlithic tools, animal bones, and shells were placed as grave goods.
  • Multiple graves i.e. four persons in one grave is also found.
  • An analysis reveals good dental health but some of them suffered from osteo-arthritis.
• Floor of made of burnt clay and has several fire hearths some with charred bones.
• Many animals are domesticated type.

Chopani Mando

• Situated in Belan Valley in Prayagraj district of U.P
• A habitation site with cultural sequence from the upper Palaeolithic to Neolithic age.
• All the three stages of the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic stage found.
• Paleolithic period:
  • Stone tools made from chert.
  • Bones discovered included those of wild cattle, sheep, and goats.
  • Represents early stage of animal domestication.
• Mesolithic period:
  • Geometric and non-geometric microliths such as blades, points, scrapers mostly made of chert.
  • Handmade pottery, hammer stones and ring stones found.
  • Bones of wild cattle and sheep/goats.
  • Pieces of burnt clay with reed impressions showed that people lived in wattle-and-daub huts.
  • Wild rice is reported.

Baghor

• In Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh.
• Palaeolithic and mesolithic tools found.
  • Used for food processing, hunting, craft work etc.
• Mother goddess worship:
  • A rock with concentric triangle found in the middle of a circular platform.
  • Tribal communities still follows as a symbol of mother goddesses.
• Mesolithic phase:
  • The tools are of chert and chalcedony, and geometric microliths occur.
• The location of many large shelters can be identified by a series of post-holes.

Lekhahia

• In Mirzapur district of Southern U.P.
• Morhana Pahar and Lekhahia are two important Mesolithic sites (Both are almost together).
• Region ideal for habitation by a hunter-gatherer people.
• Kaimur sand stone which favours the formation of caves and rock-shelters.
• Yielded blade tools and microliths.
• Tools of progressively smaller size have been found in upper layer of deposits.
• There is a group of five rock shelters, some are painted. Motifs belong to deer, hunting scenes, processions etc.
• Burials were found, and so was pottery.

Renigunta

• Located along the Ralla Kallava (Rallakalava) valley, near Renigunta town.
• In Chittor district, Andhra Pradesh.
• Represents an Upper Palaeolithic blade-and-burin industry.
• Various microliths like blades, triangles, burins found.
• Considered one of the best examples of Upper Palaeolithic in India, showing blade-focused tool manufacture similar to Gravettian industries.

Tenmalai

• Kollam district in Kerala
• Late Mesolithic rockshelter in Kerala.

Teri Sites

• In Tinnevelly district of Tamilnadu.
• 11 sites of microlithic clusters (thats why called Teri Sites).
• Tiny stone tools, mostly of quartz and chert , have been found on old sand dunes known as teris.
• Coastal red dune (aeolianite) formations formed during the Pleistocene.
• Teri industry shows closeness to Sri Lanka microliths.

Sanganakallu

• It is situated in Bellary district, Karnataka.
• Before Neolithic Phase, mesolithic was present as shown by several microlithic tools found during excavation.
• Mesolithic–Neolithic Phase
  • Evidence of large-scale stone tool manufacturing—axes, microliths, scrapers.
  • Tools made from dolerite and quartz sourced locally.
  • Presence of grinding grooves, indicating axe sharpening and finishing activity.
  • Discovery of ashmounds formed by burning cattle dung—suggesting animal keeping.
  • Evidence of millet cultivation (browntop millet, horsegram).
  • Handmade and later wheel-made pottery.
• Habitation Features
  • Huts with mud and stone walls, paved floors, and hearths.
  • Circular and rectangular structures arranged in clusters.
  • Distinct areas for tool production, living, and ritual activity.
• Symbolism and Ritual
  • Presence of petroglyphs (rock carvings) including bulls and human figures.
  • Rock gongs (ringing stones) used for sound—suggesting possible ritual use.