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U.P.P.C.S. Prelims 2016

Mesolithic Archeology

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

From which rock shelter of Vindhyas, a maximum number of human skeletons have been found?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: D

Concept Rock shelters in the Vindhyan range served as both habitations and burial grounds for prehistoric communities over thousands of years.

Explanation According to archaeological surveys, the rock shelter I at Lekhahia yielded 17 human skeletons in various states of preservation across eight different occupational phases.

Logical Breakup
Lekhahia: Holds the record for the highest count of skeletal remains in the Vindhyan Mesolithic context.
Other Sites: While Morahana Pahar and Baghahi Khor are significant rock shelters, their skeletal yield is lower than Lekhahia.

Active Recall

Question

Why did prehistoric humans choose the Vindhyan rock shelters for burial?

Answer

The shelters provided protection from the elements and a permanent marker for the community to remember and honor their dead over generations.

Core Insight

The skeletal remains at Lekhahia provide anthropologists with vital data on the physical features, diet, and health of Mesolithic Indians.

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