1. What is the Mesolithic Period?
It was period between 10,000 to 8,000 BC.
2. What are the sites? Where are they located?
Sites are places where the remains of past cultures (tools, pots, rock paintings, buildings, etc.) are found. These spots could be the surface of the earth, under the earth or sometimes, even under water.
3. When did the grasslands develop?
Around 12,000 years ago, due to relatively war conditions, there was a major change in the climate of the world. This led to be development of the grasslands.
4. When did the Neolithic period begin?
The word ‘Neolithic’ has been derived from two Greek words, ‘neo’ meaning ‘new’ and lithos’ meaning stone. The Neolithic period began 10,000 years ago.
5. Where were traces of ash found?
Traces of ash were found in the Kurnool caves.
6. How did the early man learn herding and rearing animals?
When the hunters followed animals for hunting, they might have learnt about their food habits and their breeding seasons. It is likely that this helped people to start thinking about herding and rearing these animals themselves.
7. How did herding begin?
The animals such as sheep, goats cattle and pigs lived in herds and most of them ate grass. People protected these animals from attack by other wild animals. This is how they became herders.
8. What types of crops were grown in the Neolithic period?
What, rice and barley were grown in the Neolithic period.
9. Which was the first animal to be tamed?
Dog was the first animal to be tamed.
10. Name four different sites in different parts of India, where earl farmers and herders lived.
Mehrgarh, Mahagara, Hallur and Koldihwa.
11. Where have the traces of pit-houses been found?
Traces of pit-houses have been found in Burzahom. These houses were dug into the ground with steps leading into them.
12. How were the Neolithic tools different from the Paleolithic tools?
The Neolithic tools were polished to have a fine cutting edges and mortars and pestles used for grinding grain and other plant produce.
13. Name the earliest animals which were domesticated by the early man.
The earliest domesticated animals were sheep and goat.