The Neolithic Age, or New Stone Age, marked a major revolution in human history. It began after the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) and is defined by the invention of agriculture. During this period, humans learned to farm, domesticate animals (train wild animals to be useful to humans), and make polished stone tools. This shift from hunting-gathering to food production led to a more settled life, ending the nomadic lifestyle.
A lot of Neolithic people began to live in the fertile crescent, a place where the land was fertile (good for growing plants). Trade began during the Neolithic Era – the buying, selling, and exchanging of goods.
Characteristics of Neolithic Culture
The Neolithic culture in Telangana was a hybrid culture, brought together by common features:
Material Culture and Tools
The most common Neolithic tools found in Telangana are polished stone axes, made from hard igneous or metamorphic rocks like dolerite, diorite, and basalt. Other tools include chisels, picks, hammer-stones, and sling stones. Important factory sites where these tools were made have been discovered across the state.
Major Neolithic Sites in Telangana
A major factory site located near a dolerite dyke (rock source). A large number of stone axes in various stages of manufacture were found here. The tool-making technique shows similarities to the older Acheulian (Paleolithic) method of alternate flaking to create sharp, zig-zag edges.
Located near the Maneru river, this site had many rock shelters and grinding grooves on granite rocks. While no permanent settlements were found, pieces of handmade grey pottery suggest a settlement that may have been eroded by the river.
An important settlement located on the banks of the Peddavagu river, spread over approximately 200 square metres between granitic hills.
A Neolithic settlement found on the black cotton soil plains near granite hills, about 2 km south of the village.
Discoveries here include polished stone axes and a trench revealing a hearth made of burnt clay, associated with handmade Neolithic pots, a broken axe, and a granite rubber used for burnishing pottery.
A unique site located on flat plains instead of hills. The absence of local stone sources suggests that the Neolithic people here imported their stone tools from places like Thogarrai and Kadambapur, indicating early trade or movement.
Excavations revealed a Neolithic-Chalcolithic settlement. Findings included Neolithic celts (polished axes), microliths (small stone tools), steatite beads, and handmade grey pottery.
Art and Rock Paintings
The Neolithic people of Telangana had a deep appreciation for art and nature, as seen in their rock paintings dating back to 10,000 BCE. These paintings provide a glimpse into their minds and their environment.
- They are found on cave walls, rock shelters, and boulders across the state.
- They depict a variety of wild animals, suggesting Telangana was once home to a rich diversity of wildlife.
- A famous painting of a giraffe at Pandavulagutta (Warangal) is particularly interesting, as giraffes are now found only in Africa. This indicates a very different climate and ecosystem in prehistoric Telangana.
- Other important rock painting sites are found in Regonda, Budigapalli (Karimnagar), Kokapet (Hyderabad), and Mundamala (Mahabubnagar).
Pandavulagutta rock paintings – a glimpse into Neolithic life in Telangana
Trade
The Neolithic era saw the beginning of trade – the buying, selling, and exchanging of goods. Evidence from sites like Peddabankur, where tools were imported, shows that Neolithic communities in Telangana were engaged in exchange networks.
- Archaeological Survey of India – Neolithic sites in Telangana
- Telangana Department of Archaeology – Rock paintings and excavations
- Annual Reports – Thogarrai, Kadambapur, and Peddabankur excavations