Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Consider the following statements about Stone Age in India: 1. Different periods are identified on the basis of the type and technology of stone tools. 2. There are no regional variations in the type and technology of tools in different periods. 3. Stone Age cultures of different periods evolved uniformly in a neat unilinear fashion all over the subcontinent. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: A
Concept
Archaeologists divide the Stone Age based on the geological era and the sophistication of tools used by early humans.Explanation
According to NCERT, the Palaeolithic is marked by quartzite hand-axes, the Mesolithic by microliths, and the Neolithic by polished stones. Evidence from sites like Belan Valley shows that these phases overlapped regionally.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Statement 1 is correct. Tools are the primary 'type fossils' for Stone Age chronology.
Logic 2: Statement 2 is incorrect. Regional variations are immense; for example, the Sohanian industry in the north used pebbles while the Acheulean in the south used hand-axes.
Logic 3: Statement 3 is incorrect. Evolution was multi-linear; different regions entered the Neolithic or Iron Age at different times based on local resources.