The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus
South Asian Stone Age
The South Asian Stone Age covers the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods in the South Asia. In the extreme northwest in todays Pakistan, former india lies Mehrgarh, the Neolithic begins ca. 7000 and lasts until 3300 BCE and the first beginnings of the Bronze Age. In South India, the Mesolithic lasts until 3000 BCE, and the Neolithic until 1400 BCE, followed by a Megalithic transitional period mostly skipping the Bronze Age. The Iron Age begins roughly simultaneously in North and South India, around 1200 to 1000 BCE (Painted Grey Ware culture, Hallur).
Paleolithic Homo erectus
Homo erectus lived on the Pothohar Plateau, a region of Northern Punjab in Pakistan (near Rawalpindi's Soan River) during the Pleistocene Epoch. Biface handaxe and cleaver traditions may have originated in the middle Pleistocene. The beginning of the use of Acheulian and chopper-chopping tools of lower paleolithic may be dated to approx. the middle Pleistocene.
Homo sapiens
Analysis of mtDNA dates the immigration of Homo sapiens to South Asia to 70,000 to 50,000 years ago. These populations spread further to Southeast Asia, reaching Australia by 40,000 years ago. Cave sites in Sri Lanka have yielded the earliest record of modern homo sapiens in South Asia. They were dated to 34,000 years ago . (Kennedy 2000: 180). For finds from the Belan in southern Uttar Pradesh radio carbon data have indicated an age of 18-17 tya. Palaeolithic rock art is also well-known.
At the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka humans lived throughout the Upper Paleolithic (10th to 8th millennia BC), revealing cave paintings dating to ca. 7000 BC; the Sivaliks and the Potwar (Pakistan) region also exhibit many vertebrate fossil remains and paleolithic tools. Chert, jasper and quartzite were often used by humans during this period.
Neolithic
The aceramic Neolithic (Mehrgarh I,Baluchistan, Pakistan, also dubbed "Early Food Producing Era") lasts ca. 7000 - 5500 BC. The ceramic Neolithic lasts up to 3300 BC, blending into the Early Harappan (Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age) period. One of the earliest Neolithic sites in India is Lahuradewa, at Middle Ganges region, C14 dated around 7th millennium BC. Recently another site near the confluence of Ganges and Yamuna rivers called Jhusi yielded a C14 dating of 7100 BC for its Neolithic levels.
In South India the Neolithic began by 3000 BC and lasted until around 1400 BC.South Indian Neolithic is characterized by Ashmounds since 2500 BC in Karnataka region, expanded later to Tamil Nadu.
Comparative excavations carried out in Adichanallur in Thirunelveli District and in Northern India have provided evidence of a southward migration of the Megalithic culture The earliest clear evidence of the presence of the megalithic urn burials are those dating from around 1000 BC, which have been discovered at various places in Tamil Nadu, notably at Adichanallur, 24 km from Tirunelveli, where archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India unearthed 12 urns with Tamil Brahmi script on them containing human skulls, skeletons and bones, plus husks, grains of rice, charred rice and Neolithic celts, giving evidence confirming it of the Neolithic period 2800 years ago. This proved that Tirunelveli area has been the abode for human habituation since the Neolithic period about 3,000 years ago. Adhichanallur has been announced as an archaeological site for further excavation and studies.
The Bronze Age :
The Bronze Age is characterized by the introduction of bronze and copper. Bronze Age, the era of copper age, is the prehistoric period in which people started using metal (ca. 4000 — 6000 years ago). It is the period of human development which is characterized by making of weapons and tools by bronze (an alloy of copper and tin).
It is the period of development of human civilization between Stone Age and Iron Age, marked by violence and war. Bronze Age is followed by Neolithic period (last stage of Stone Age). This age is characterized by the use of metals.
Bronze Age civilization in Indian Subcontinent :
Bronze Age was the era when metals, cooper and bronze, were used for making weapons and other tools. In South Asia, Bronze Age began around 3000 BC in North India (Harappa 1). The Bronze Age, followed the Neolithic age, is actually laid the foundation of Indian modern culture.
In this period urbanized centres were developed along the River Indus banks and its tributaries. These urbanized centres of civilization are famously known as Indus Valley Civilization. This civilization is the oldest urban civilization. On Indian subcontinent, Bronze Age began with the beginning of Indus Valley Civilization around 3300 BCE. People of Indus Valley Civilization developed new techniques of metallurgy with bronze, tin and copper.
This Bronze Age was succeeded by Indian Iron Age around 1000 BC. Bronze Age was primarily centred in Sindh and Punjab (today’s Pakistan) and some areas of Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan of modern day India. The Harappans, inhabitants of Indus river valley, produced copper, lead, and tin, and thus also produced new techniques of metallurgy. The Indus Valley Civilization was lasted from about 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE. Indus Valley Civilization is actually the beginning of urbanization on the subcontinent. Civilization marked the beginning of urbanization like water drainage system, multi-storeyed buildings, and built of brick. Ganeriwala, Harappa, and Mohenjo-Daro in modern day Pakistan and Dholavira, Rupar, Kalibangan, Lothal and Rakhigarhi in today’s India are the urban centers of ancient civilization. The Bronze Age ended at the beginning of second millennium and followed by Iron Age Vedic Period.
South India, in contrast, remained in the Mesolithic period since 2500 BC. Bronze Age was completely missing from this part of India. Later on, there might be some connection between the two parts, south and north, of India and south India directly enters into the Iron Age.
Recently, a school teacher in 2006 found a stone in the small village of Tamil Nadu. This Stone found in Nagapattanam district has been carved with an inscription. Later, it was adjudged that it is around 3500 years old. According to Iravatham Mahadevan, the famous Indian epigraphist this finding stands as the grand discovery of a century in the field of archaeology related to Tamil Nadu.
