Pre-history and Proto-history:
Que. “The Neolithic Age represents a revolution due to significant changes that took place during this period.” Examine. [UPSC CSE-2023]
Introduction:
The Neolithic Age, a pivotal era in human history, marked a revolutionary transition from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle to settled agricultural communities. This transformation brought about profound changes in various aspects of human civilization.
Initially, the Neolithic Age commenced around 10,000 BCE in different parts of the world, gradually introducing the domestication of plants and animals. This shift from a primarily nomadic existence to settled agricultural lifeforms formed the cornerstone of the Neolithic Revolution.
Major features of the sequence of significant changes during the Neolithic Age:
(1) The emergence of Agriculture: One of the key aspects of this period was the emergence of agriculture. People started cultivating crops such as wheat, barley, rice, and millet. Domestication of animals like cattle, sheep, and goats ensued. This shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture laid the foundation for stable settlements and surplus food production.
Besides the use of stone tools, the Neolithic people had little in common with their predecessors. The Paleolithic and Mesolithic humans were mobile hunter-gatherers who travelled long distances to procure their food. On the other hand, Neolithic populations all over the places have relied on agriculture or food production and the domestication of animals for their dietary needs.
Human communities entered a new stage of culture when, instead of depending entirely on the resources of nature for survival, they started producing their own food by cultivating cereals like barley, wheat and rice and started domesticating some species of animals-both for supplies of milk and meat as well as for harnessing their labour for various purposes.
(2) Permanent Settlements: Agriculture led to the establishment of permanent settlements. Villages and towns began to form, fostering social structures more complex than the nomadic societies. This settlement pattern laid the groundwork for the development of crafts, trade, and specialization of labor.
Domestication of plants and animals has been considered as one of the main characteristic features of the Neolithic stage of culture. Domestication of plants and animals led to: the technological changes, the beginnings of agriculture technology, greater food availability, greater control over nature by exploitation of natural resources. the emergence of village communities based on sedentary life, a rise in population, an increase in the number and size of human settlements, and more complex social and political organization.
(3) Technological Advancements: The advent of agriculture not only altered human settlement patterns but also initiated technological advancements. Tools and implements designed for farming, such as plows, sickles, and storage facilities, were invented, revolutionizing productivity and efficiency in food production.
(4) Social Organization: Social organization underwent a significant transformation during the Neolithic Age. The surplus food resulting from agriculture enabled the emergence of distinct social classes. Hierarchies developed based on wealth, occupation, and power, paving the way for societal stratification.
(5) Changes in Cultural Practices: The transition to settled life and agriculture also brought about changes in cultural practices. With the availability of surplus food, communities could invest time in cultural pursuits like art, pottery, music, and religious rituals. These cultural expressions varied across regions, showcasing diversity in beliefs, traditions, and artistic expressions.
(6) The relationship between Humans and the Environment: Moreover, the shift to agriculture altered the relationship between humans and the environment. Humans began to manipulate and transform landscapes to suit agricultural needs, leading to long-term environmental impacts such as deforestation and soil erosion.
(7) Tools: Beginnings of this stage of human culture are revealed by new type of stone tools which are called Neolithic tools or tools of the New Stone Age. The Neolithic age is associated with innovations in stone tool technology, specifically the making of ground, pecked, and polished stone tools and the advent of food production. Unlike the lighter and sharper tools of the Paleolithic or Mesolithic, the Neolithic tool kit was composed of heavy ground tools pestles, mortars, grinders and pounders as also axes and sickles which have a characteristic sheen on them, the result of harvesting wild or domesticated plants and grasses. Changes in stone tools were related to shifts in subsistence strategies.
(8) Pottery: The use of pottery and the wheel and the subsequent invention of crafts like spinning, weaving and bead-making serve to demonstrate the uniqueness of the Neolithic phase. Most Neolithic cultures start as aceramic or pre-pottery Neolithic. However, soon enough, sherds of hand-made pottery are found, often followed by wheel-thrown pottery. The technological breakthrough of the wheel enabled developments like spinning and by the time of the bronze age civilizations, the use of the wheel in carts.
(9) Neolithic Revolution: It was a consideration of all these developments that made this period to be called as the ‘Neolithic Revolution’. However, the term ‘revolution’ is synonymous with sudden or abrupt change and that the Neolithic was a gradual unfolding of developments, the culmination of the Stone Age. While the significant socio-economic impact of the Neolithic cannot be denied, it is today generally viewed as a ‘transformation’ or ‘evolution’ rather than a ‘revolution’.
Conclusion:
The Neolithic Age was indeed revolutionary due to the profound changes it brought about in human society. The shift from nomadic lifestyles to settled agricultural communities laid the groundwork for societal, technological, cultural, and environmental transformations that shaped the course of human history.
