Program > By author > Chatterjee Gargi

The transitional phase between Pleistocene and Holocene played an important role in the history of mankind. This time earth and its genera were experiencing a huge environmental transform, which created a platform for settled form of life from the hunting-gathering stage. Therefore, a unique kind of subsistence could be recognized during this period. Unlike the previous phase, a tendency of controlling over the environment could be noticed in hominin behaviour which is marked by beginning of domestication of wild crops, hunting of small fauna (sometimes animal offspring), making of pottery and dwelling etc. Alike every other parts of the globe, Vindhya-Gangetic region experienced same kind of environmental and behavioural transformation and adopt with it. The present essay will focus on the adaptation strategies of this particular part of India with special reference of the site Chopanimando, during the late-Pleistocene & Holocene eon.

Chopanimando is situated in Belan Valley, which is a part of Vindhya-Gangetic complex. Geographically, Vindhya-Gangetic region is positioned at Central part of India and comprises parts of the states: Uttar-Pradesh, Madhya-Pradesh and some adjoining areas. Until-now, several sporadic Archaeological explorations and excavations were undertaken by different scholars in this region, resulted discovery of numerous Stone-Age sites and its continuous sequence starting from Late-Acheulian to Neolithic. Prof. H.D. Sankalia called this region, a unique example of having “Text Book” sequence of Stone-Age. However, the Stone-Age continuous-occupation at this region is a matter of debate, and amongst the most challenging-debates are summarized below.

• Why was such continuous Stone Age occupation in this region?
• How did the Stone Age hominin manage to survive for such long?
• When the region was occupied by different techno-cultural-groups? For how long had they survived?
• Who were the authors of these?

In spite of the previous-works, to solve these aforesaid problems and to understand such long and continuous occupation of Stone-Age hominin in this region, it is pertinent to focus on the evidence found so far in integrated manner. Keeping this concept in mind, in the present piece of work of mine, I have tried to understand the Stone-Age findings in totality of this particular region in the light of the first two problems (“Why”&”How”) with special reference to the site Chopanimando.