Proto-historic period is the age nearest to the historical period. In so far as India is concerned the civilisation of the Vedic period is the proto-historic period. The hymns composed by the Vedic priests had perfected a poetic technique. These hymns were praise of their gods and were sung at sacrifices. These were not reduced to writing but were handed down by words of mouth.
Even when the art of writing was widely known to the Indians, hymns were not committed to writing. The period of the Vedas, Brahmanas and Upanishads, says Prof. Basham, “is a sort of a transition from prehistory to history”. Naturally it falls in the proto-historic period of Indian history that is nearest to the historical period. But as Prof. Basham points out, If history, as distinct from archaeology, is the study of the human past from written sources, then Indian history begins with the Aryans. The Rig Veda and the great body of oral religious literature which follow it in the first half of the first millennium B.C. belong to the Hindu tradition. The Vedic hymns are still recited at weddings and funerals, and in the daily devotion of the brahman. Thus they are part of historical India, and do not belong to her buried pre-historic past.
But it cannot be denied that the Vedic period is not within the really historic period of India, for it is only the matter of religion about which we are fully informed. About other matters or events we have only indirect and vague references. Thus the Vedic Age of Indian history has to be regarded as the period immediately preceding the historical period; hence it belongs to the proto-historic period of India, a period which marks the transition from pre-historic to historic period of the Indian History.
Early Stone Age- Hunters and Gatherers
Hunter-gatherer societies are – true to their astoundingly descriptive name – cultures in which human beings obtain their food by hunting, fishing, scavenging, and gathering wild Plants and other edibles. Although there are still groups of hunter-gatherers in our modern world, we will here focus on the prehistoric societies that relied on the bounty of nature, before the transition to agriculture began around 12,000 years ago. Prehistoric hunter-gatherers often lived in groups of a few dozens of people, consisting of several family units. They developed tools to help them survive and were dependent on the abundance of food in the area, which if an area was not plentiful enough required them to move to greener forests (pastures were not around yet). It is probable that generally, the men hunted while the Women foraged.
Straight off the bat, it is important to realise that the variety between hunter-gatherer societies throughout time was so high that no single, all-compassing set of characteristics can be attributed to them. The earliest hunter-gatherers showed very different adaptations to their Environment than groups at later points in time, closer to the transition to agriculture. The road towards increasing complexity – something we tend to consider to be the hallmark of ‘modernity’ – is a difficult yet interesting one to trace. Tools, for instance, became ever more developed and specialised, resulting in a large set of shapes that allowed hunter-gatherers to become better and better at exploiting their environment.
Our genus of Homo first developed within the massive space that is Africa, and it is there that hunter-gatherers first appeared. There are a few hotspots where the land clearly provided decently lush living opportunities and where the remains of often several different groups of humans living there at various times have been found. In southern Africa sites such as Swartkrans Cave and Sterkfontein show more than one occupation, although they are a lot younger than sites in eastern Africa, where in or near Ethiopia the earliest known stone tools made by humans – dated to c. 2,6 million years ago – have been found. One of the oldest sites is Lake Turkana in Kenya: it was already home to our presumed ancestors the Australopithecines, to which the famous Lucy belongs, and it continued to be a popular spot for a very long time indeed.
From humans’ early start in Africa to spilling out across Eurasia and later the rest of the world, all this exploration across vastly different terrains was done while living off the land by hunting and gathering what it had to offer. The amount of food, looking at both Flora and Fauna, directly impacted the amount of people an environment could feasibly support. If food was abundant, resident groups of hunter-gatherers were more likely to stay in the same place, find ways to effectively store their food, and protect their territory against competing groups. Alternatively, if there was not enough food in a group’s direct vicinity, it meant they had to move around and lead more nomadic lifestyles in order to sustain themselves. If this sounds like too much of a piece of cake, imagine that the environment with both its terrain and its weather (think of droughts or huge storms) regularly tried to kill these early humans, with the assistance of animals that had bigger teeth and claws than they did. Luckily, prehistoric societies were made up of groups or bands of a few dozens of people, usually representing several families, that helped each other survive mother nature.
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The Proto Historic Period is a period of history that is not well-documented, but which is important for understanding the development of later cultures. It is often divided into two sub-periods: the Early Proto Historic Period and the Late Proto Historic Period.
The Early Proto Historic Period is a time of transition from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. During this time, people began to use Metal tools and weapons, and to build larger and more complex settlements.
The Late Proto Historic Period is a time of increased contact between different cultures. This is due to the development of trade routes and the spread of new technologies. During this time, many important developments took place, such as the invention of writing and the development of complex political systems.
The following are some of the sub-topics that are often studied in the Proto Historic Period:
Settlement patterns: How did people live during the Proto Historic Period? What types of settlements did they build?
Technology: What types of technology did people use during the Proto Historic Period? How did this technology change over time?
Trade: What Types of Goods were traded during the Proto Historic Period? How did trade networks develop?
Political systems: What types of political systems existed during the Proto Historic Period? How did these systems change over time?
Religion: What types of religious beliefs and practices were common during the Proto Historic Period? How did these beliefs and practices change over time?
Art and culture: What types of art and culture were produced during the Proto Historic Period? How did this art and culture change over time?
The Proto Historic Period is a fascinating time in history, and there is still much that we do not know about it. However, by studying the sub-topics listed above, we can gain a better understanding of this important period.
Settlement patterns
During the Proto Historic Period, people began to live in larger and more complex settlements. These settlements were often located near rivers or other sources of water, and they were surrounded by walls or other fortifications. The size and complexity of these settlements varied depending on the region, but they all served as important centers of Trade and Commerce.
Technology
During the Proto Historic Period, people began to use metal tools and weapons. This was a major technological advancement, as it allowed people to do things that were not possible before. For example, metal tools made it easier to farm and build houses, while metal weapons made it easier to defend against attack.
Trade
During the Proto Historic Period, trade networks began to develop. This was due to the increased contact between different cultures. People began to trade goods such as food, tools, and weapons. This trade helped to spread new technologies and ideas between different cultures.
Political systems
During the Proto Historic Period, complex political systems began to develop. These systems were often based on the rule of a king or queen. The king or queen would have a group of advisors who would help them to make decisions. These political systems helped to keep order in Society and to protect people from attack.
Religion
During the Proto Historic Period, people began to develop complex religious beliefs. These beliefs often involved the worship of gods and goddesses. People would build temples and shrines to honor these gods and goddesses. They would also perform rituals and ceremonies in their honor.
Art and culture
During the Proto Historic Period, people began to produce a variety of art and culture. This art and culture often reflected the religious beliefs and practices of the people. For example, people would often create sculptures and paintings of their gods and goddesses. They would also write stories and poems about them.
The Proto Historic Period was a time of great change and development. People began to live in larger and more complex settlements, they began to use metal tools and weapons, and they began to develop complex political systems. They also began to develop complex religious beliefs and produce a variety of art and culture. This was a time of great progress, and it laid the foundation for the development of later cultures.
What is the Protohistoric Period?
The Protohistoric Period is a period of time in human history that is not well-documented. It is often defined as the time between the end of the Prehistoric Period and the beginning of the historic period. During this time, humans began to develop writing systems, but there are still many gaps in our knowledge of what happened during this time.
What are some of the key events that happened during the Protohistoric Period?
Some of the key events that happened during the Protohistoric Period include the development of writing systems, the rise of civilizations, and the spread of agriculture. These events had a profound impact on human history and helped to shape the world we live in today.
What are some of the challenges that historians face when studying the Protohistoric Period?
One of the biggest challenges that historians face when studying the Protohistoric Period is the lack of written records. During this time, humans were still developing writing systems, so there are many gaps in our knowledge of what happened. Additionally, many of the written records that do exist are from biased sources, which can make it difficult to get an accurate picture of what happened.
What are some of the sources that historians use to study the Protohistoric Period?
Historians use a variety of sources to study the Protohistoric Period, including archaeological evidence, oral histories, and written records. Archaeological evidence can provide valuable insights into the lives of people during this time, while oral histories can help to fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge. Written records can also be helpful, but it is important to remember that these records may be biased.
What are some of the key findings that historians have made about the Protohistoric Period?
Historians have made a number of key findings about the Protohistoric Period, including the development of writing systems, the rise of civilizations, and the spread of agriculture. These findings have helped to shape our understanding of human history and the world we live in today.
What are some of the unanswered questions about the Protohistoric Period?
There are still many unanswered questions about the Protohistoric Period, including the exact dates of some events, the identities of some key figures, and the motivations behind some decisions. Historians continue to work to answer these questions and to fill in the gaps in our knowledge of this important period in human history.
Sure, here are some MCQs without mentioning the topic Proto Historic Period:
Which of the following is not a characteristic of the Indus Valley Civilization? (A) It was a Bronze Age civilization. (B) It was a river valley civilization. (C) It had a writing system. (D) It was a matriarchal society.
The Indus Valley Civilization was located in which of the following regions? (A) The Indus River Valley (B) The Ganges River Valley (C) The Yellow River Valley (D) The Nile River Valley
The Indus Valley Civilization was a major urban civilization with cities such as Harappa and Mohenjo-daro. What was the Population of these cities estimated to be? (A) 10,000 people (B) 50,000 people (C) 100,000 people (D) 500,000 people
The Indus Valley Civilization was a major trading power. What were some of the goods that were traded? (A) Gold, silver, copper, and bronze (B) Grain, cloth, and Pottery (C) Ivory, gemstones, and perfumes (D) All of the above
The Indus Valley Civilization declined around 1900 BCE. What are some of the theories about why it declined? (A) A natural disaster, such as a flood or earthquake (B) Invasion by another civilization (C) A decline in trade (D) All of the above
The Aryans were a group of Indo-European people who migrated into India from Central Asia around 1500 BCE. What were some of the effects of the Aryans on Indian Society? (A) They introduced the Sanskrit language and the Hindu religion. (B) They established a caste system based on social class. (C) They conquered the Indus Valley Civilization. (D) All of the above
The Mauryan Empire was a major Indian empire that was founded by Chandragupta Maurya in the 4th century BCE. What were some of the achievements of the Mauryan Empire? (A) It unified much of India under one rule. (B) It built a strong military and Bureaucracy. (C) It promoted religious Tolerance. (D) All of the above
The Gupta Empire was a major Indian empire that was founded by Chandra Gupta I in the 4th century CE. What were some of the achievements of the Gupta Empire? (A) It ushered in a golden age of Indian culture and Learning. (B) It promoted Hinduism-2/”>Hinduism and Buddhism-2/”>Buddhism. (C) It built a strong military and bureaucracy. (D) All of the above
The Islamic conquest of India began in the 7th century CE. What were some of the effects of the Islamic conquest on Indian society? (A) The spread of Islam to India. (B) The destruction of many Hindu temples. (C) The establishment of Muslim rule in much of India. (D) All of the above
The Mughal Empire was a major Indian empire that was founded by Babur in the 16th century CE. What were some of the achievements of the Mughal Empire? (A) It unified much of India under one rule. (B) It promoted religious tolerance. (C) It built a strong military and bureaucracy. (D) All of the above