THE STORY OF THE MEGALITHS
Look at the Figure below.
These stone boulders are known as megaliths (literally big stones). These were carefully arranged by people and were used to mark burial sites. The practice of erecting megaliths began about 3000 years ago and was prevalent throughout the Deccan, south India, in the north-east and Kashmir.
Some important megalithic sites are shown on Map.
While some megaliths can be seen on the surface, other megalithic burials are often underground. Sometimes, archaeologists find a circle of stone boulders or a single large stone standing on the ground. These are the only indications that there are burials beneath.
All these burials have some common features. Generally, the dead were buried with distinctive pots, which are called Black and Red Ware. Also found are tools and weapons of iron and sometimes, skeletons of horses, horse equipment, and ornaments of stone and gold.
Iron equipment found from megalithic burials.
Was iron used in the Harappan cities?
Activity:
There were several things that people did to make megaliths. We have made a list here. Try and arrange them in the correct order: digging pits in the earth, transporting stones, breaking boulders, placing stones in position, finding the suitable stone, shaping stones, burying the dead.
Source: This topic is taken from the NCERT TEXTBOOK.
FINDING OUT ABOUT SOCIAL DIFFERENCES
Archaeologists think that objects found with a skeleton probably belonged to the dead person. Sometimes, more objects are found in one grave than in another. In Brahmagiri, one skeleton was buried with 33 gold beads, 2 stone beads, 4 copper bangles, and one conch shell. Other skeletons have only a few pots. These finds suggest that there was some difference in status amongst the people who were buried. Some were rich, others poor, some chiefs, other followers.
Activity:
Find Brahmagiri on Map.
Source: This topic is taken from the NCERT TEXTBOOK.
FAMILY BURIAL SPOTS
Sometimes, megaliths contain more than one skeleton. These indicate that people, perhaps belonging to the same family, were buried in the same place though not at the same time. The bodies of those who died later were brought into the grave through the portholes. Stone circles or boulders placed on the surface probably served as signposts to find the burial site, so that people could return to the same place whenever they wanted to.
Source: This topic is taken from the NCERT TEXTBOOK.
A SPECIAL BURIAL AT INAMGAON
Inamgaon is a site on the river Ghod, a tributary of the Bhima. It was occupied between 3600 and 2700 years ago. Here, adults were generally buried in the ground, laid out straight, with the head towards the north. Sometimes burials were within the houses. Vessels that probably contained food and water were placed with the dead.
One man was found buried in a large, four-legged clay jar in the courtyard of a five-roomed house (one of the largest houses at the site), in the center of the settlement. This house also had a granary. The body was placed in a cross-legged position.
What skeletal studies tell us?
It is easy to make out the skeleton of a child from its small size. However, there are no major differences in the bones of a girl and a boy.
Can we make out whether a skeleton was that of a man or a woman?
Sometimes, people decide on the basis of what is found with the skeleton. For instance, if a skeleton is found with jewellery, it is sometimes thought to be that of a woman. However, there are problems with this. Often, men also wore ornaments.
A better way of figuring out the sex of a skeleton is to look at the bone structure. The hip or the pelvic area of women is generally larger to enable childbearing.
These distinctions are based on modern skeletal studies.
About 2000 years ago, there was a famous physician named Charaka who wrote a book on medicine known as the Charaka Samhita. There he states that the human body has 360 bones. This is a much larger number than the 200 bones that are recognized in modern anatomy. Charaka arrived at this figure by counting the teeth, joints, and cartilage.
How do you think he found out about the human body in such great detail?
Activity:
Find Inamgaon on Map
Source: This topic is taken from the NCERT TEXTBOOK.
OCCUPATIONS AT INAMGAON
Archaeologists have found seeds of wheat, barley, rice, pulses, millets, peas, and sesame. Bones of a number of animals, many bearing cut marks that show they may have been used as food, have also been found. These include cattle, buffalo, goat, sheep, dog, horse, ass, pig, sambhar, spotted deer, blackbuck, antelope, hare, and mongoose, besides birds, crocodile, turtle, crab, and fish. There is evidence that fruits such as ber, amla, jamun, dates, and a variety of berries were collected.
Activity:
Use the above-mentioned evidence to list the possible occupations of the people at Inamgaon.
Source: This topic is taken from the NCERT TEXTBOOK.