- First Archeology evidence has been found in Jharkhand before 1,00,000 BCE.
- The earliest evidence of animal domestication comes from Adamgarh (M.P.) and Bagor in Rajasthan dated 5500 B.C. and 4500 B.C. respectively.
- The oldest evidence of agriculture in the Indian subcontinent is found at Mehrgarh, a Neolithic site in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province.
Source of History: Jharkhand
History sources include memorials, buildings, temples, forts, paintings, religious literature and other literature. The times recorded under these sources are different ages, periods, and times based on which the history of the place is written. The sources of history are divided into two classes: archaeological and literary.
Monuments, inscriptions, artefacts and pottery, tools etc. are studied under archaeology sources.
Under the literary source, Sanskrit literature, Buddhist literature, Jain literature, Greek, Chinese and Tibetan literature are studied under the scholarly source.
Various designated places of archaeological equipment, copper tools, jewellery, stone tools, Celts, Coins, Sculptures etc, have been found in the area. The sources can be seen through the following ages/phases:-
1. Palaeolithic Period(1,00,000 BCE-10,000 BCE)
- The oldest remains found in Jharkhand date back to the early Stone Age. Among these remains, important tools like stone axes, blades, and scrapers have been discovered.
- These items were found during excavations in places like Singhbhum, Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Santal Pargana, and Palamu.
- In 2019, the Archaeological Survey of India (Ranchi Circle) found remains from the Paleolithic Age that are about 10,000 years old. These discoveries were made in Ranchi, Ramgarh, Simdega, and West Singhbhum.
2. Mesolithic Period (10,000 BCE – 4000 BCE)
- The Mesolithic period is believed to have lasted from 10,000 BCE to 4,000 BCE. During this time, people started practising animal husbandry.
- In Jharkhand, remains from this period have been found in places like Dumka, Palamu, Dhanbad, Ranchi, and Singhbhum.
3. Neolithic Period (10,000 BCE- 1000 BCE)
- The Neolithic period, from around 10,000 BCE to 1,000 BCE, is when farming started.
- During this period, the use of fire and pottery also began.
- In Jharkhand, remains from this period have been discovered in places like Ranchi, Lohardaga, and Singhbhum.
- In the Chotanagpur region, 12 hand axes from this era have been found.
4. Chalcolithic Period (4000 BCE- 1000 BCE)
- This period is related to the pre-Harappan period, Harappan period and post-Harappan period.
- The first metal used by humans was copper.
- The centre point of this period in Jharkhand was Singhbhum.
- During this period, The Asur, Birjia and Birhir tribes were familiar with the art of smelling copper and making related equipment.
- Copper axes have been found from many places in Jharkhand and the remains of 49 copper mines have been found from Baharganda in Hazaribagh.
5. Bronze Age
- In this era, Bronze was made by mixing tin with copper and tools made from it was used
- Aurs and Birjia tribes of the Chotanagpur region are considered to be the origin of bronze age tools.
6. Iron Age
- In this era, the tools are made from Iron.
- Aurs and Birjia tribes of the Chotanagpur region are considered to be the origin of Iron tools.
Important Archaeological Sites of Jharkhand
| Place | District | Archaeology Remains |
|---|---|---|
| Isko | Hazaribagh | Remains of a 6th-century Buddhist monastery (especially a stupa with four Buddha figures and fragmentary statute of a beautiful lady in blackish-brown sandstone). It is also mentioned by the Chinese traveller Fa-Hien. |
| Sitagarha Hills | Hazaribagh | Remains of a 6th-century Buddhist monastery (especially a stupa with four Buddha figures and fragmentary statute of a beautiful lady in blackish-brown sandstone). It is also mentioned by the Chinese traveller Fa-Hien. |
| Dudhpani | Hazaribagh | an inscription of 8th century AD has been found. |
| Baharganda | Hazaribagh | the remains of 49 copper mines have been found. |
| Bhawnathpur | Garhwa | Pictures of hunting which includes pictures of animals like deer, buffalo etc. Prehistoric caves and rock paintings have also been found. |
| Pandu | Palamu | Stone stool with four legs. Mud wall, clay pots and copper tools |
| Palamu Fort | Palamu | A Statue of Lord Buddha in Bhumi Sparsh Mudra |
| Naudih | Palamu | 102 silver coins in a clay pot are found from Aurangzeeb’s period. |
| Barudih | East Singhbhum | Stone age pottery fragments, stone hammers and baked clay pots |
| Bongara | East Singhbhum | Handmade pottery, Ring stone, Beads etc. |
| Banaghat | East Singhbhum | Five stone axes, a pallet of Terracotta and black pottery |
| Benusagar | West Singhbhum | 7th-century Jain sculptures |
| Chakradharpur | West Singhbhum | Neolithic knife sharpening stone |
| Lohardaga | Lohardaga | Prehistoric bronze cup |
| Namkum | Ranchi | Cooper and iron tools |
| Murud | Khunti | Copper chain and bronze ring |
| Dargama | Khunti | Chalcolithic villages |
| Loopgarhi | – | Remains of the cemetery, Copper ornaments and stones, including beads, were found inside the cemetery |
| Sesai | Gumla | An ancient underground place structure has been found during archaeological excavation at the historic Navratangarh Fort. |
References:
- Jharkhand Wikipedia- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jharkhand#History
- archaeological survey of India (Ranchi Circle) – https://www.asiranchicircle.in