Paleolithic Age in Kashmir

Paleolithic Age in Kashmir→ Kashmir is one of the earliest homelands of human civilization and has abundant material remains to testify to the assertion. The earliest human species scientifically called Homo sapiens sapiens are believed to have appeared in the valley at the end of the Ice Age or the intermediate periods in between the Ice ages commonly called inter glaciation periods. The earliest stone tools used by first Human beings are called Paleolithic tools. Hence the period is known as Paleolithic age. The word Paleolithic is derived from the two Greek words 'Paleo' meaning old and 'Lithos' meaning stone. Thus the age may also be called Early Stone Age. The common tools of this period are stone flakes, crude stone hand axes, stone scrapers, borers and crude blades reflecting gradual evolution of the tool technology corresponding to lower middle and upper Paleolithic ages.

In the Kashmir valley the study of interglaciation periods and tool technology was taken up by Grilinton in 1928 and elaborated by De-Terra and Peterson in 1935. It was further carried on by H.D.Sankallia in 1969. The most important sites that have yielded the Paleolithic tools in Kashmir are Pahalgam, Balpura (Shopian), Sukhnag, Kulladur, Tapribal (Baramulla) and Khan Sahib (Budgam)

Findings at sites: At Pahalgam 65KM from Srinagar on the bank of river Lidder a huge massive Flake (255cm long and 10cmbroad) has been found. Crude Stone hand axes and small flakes have also been found.

At Sombur (Pulwama), more than 100 artifacts and tools have been found. These include flakes, knives, cores, ponders and borers etc. Most of these tools are unpolished and dateable to 10,000 before Pleistocene to 18000B.P.

Affinities: Most of these tools belong to Holocene age and have close resemblance with the tools found at Soan Valley Punjab, Potwar plateau Pakistan at Gobi desert etc. signifying the shared history of the period

Economy: The human beings of the period did not know cultivation or domestication hence lived as hunter gatherers. They were acquainted with hunting wild game, collecting edible fruits and roots and could catch fish by making small dam patches in the shallow waters. Since they were aware of lighting fire, they mostly consumed their food roasted. They would spend days and nights in open air but during rainy seasons they took shelter in caves or natural shelters or could have erected temporary shelters of wooden logs covered with leaves.

Changes: The Paleolithic research has shown around 10,000 B.P. cooler conditions prevailed in the valley and with the gradual rise of temperature ice began to melt resulting into massive land erosion forcing people to move towards sub-Himalayan regions. In such cold climate some animal species like elephants or horses whose fossil remains have been found perished.

Conclusion: Kashmir being an old habitat of the humans