Mesolithic Age (Middle Stone Age)

Mesolithic Age (Middle Stone Age or Madhya Pashana Yugam) : c. 10,000 BCE – 3,000 BCE

The Mesolithic era was a transitional phase characterized by the development of smaller, more refined, and composite tools known as microliths.

Key Characteristics:

Lifestyle: People were still primarily hunter-gatherers but began to adopt a more settled lifestyle near reliable water sources.

Technology: The key invention was the making of fire by rubbing sticks together (known as Araniin Sanskrit).

Tools: Microliths – tiny, sharp stone blades (made of chert, chalcedony, agate, jasper) that were hafted onto wood or bone to create tools like arrows, spears, and sickles.

Evidence in Telangana:
Mesolithic sites are found along river banks, lakes, and on rocky outcrops near water sources. Important sites include:

Gaurigundam (a prolific site with thousands of microliths)

Bugga (Peddapalli taluk)

Sites around Ramagundam, Karimnagar, Jagityal, and Manthani.