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1 1. Chalcolithic Communities Of Central India In Terms Of Technological And Economic Aspects *Dr. Ashish S. Shende Abstract Man passed from Paleolithic, Mesolithic savagery to the barbarism of Neolithic and reached the early urban culture sitting of Chalcolithic- Bronze Age, living in what were, for that age, well- appointed villages using characteristic ceramics for their daily and ritual use, and given to many crafts such as pottery, metallurgy, bead making, toys and playthings on terracotta for children and cult usage, ornaments and decorative jewellary for the demanding women folk, in well ordered community life, practicing productive agriculture which yielded a surplus of food grains, etc. contributed to the emergence of well settled agricultural communities during chalcolithic period. This research paper is based on the tools implemented by the chalcolithic communities for the establishment of technical and economical aspects. It is interesting to note that from considerably early times; human mind visualized art and craft as a homogeneous concept and had never dissected or divorced one from the other. By art, we mean the end product of a technical operation which has, aside of its application, an aesthetic aspect that appeals to the senses; and by the craft we signify the very technological basis and medium of such economic operation.The main occupation of chalcolithic people was based on agriculture, hunting, fishing and also on animal husbandry and other productive occupation. At the same time, they were the bearers and Note- Research Paper Received in September 2016 and Reviewed in October 2016 *HOD, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, VasnatraoNaik Govt. Institute of Arts and Social Sciences, Nagpur, Maharashtra Volume V, Number 20, October-December 2016, ISSN 2277-4157 2 Dr. Ashish S. Shende Chalcolithic Communities Of Central India In Terms..... 3 transmitters of technology and culture acquired by the contemporary The hoe is another tool which is made of iron was used to dig the earth. Chalcolithic society.1Following are the discussion: sites Nagda and Jaderua have been found hoes from the early historic levels. Similar Tools and weapons are broadly observed in forms like chisels, hammers, hoes have been reported from various sites of Madhya Pradesh. A unique type of hoe daggers, spearheads, arrowheads, sickles and points. Many of them have was found at Navdatoli from period IV. It is very difficult to say whether the top ring is handles of bone or ivory reflecting the mode of their use, quality and the formed by bending the flanges at the top, because it was rusted.10 technical advancement of the periods (chalcolithic) concerned. On the basis One of the most important aspects in any community is weapons which of their use and functional aspects the objects have been classified in different were used both for offence and defense purposes and has been found from pattern. A few of them continued and survived right up to the later times and various sites of Central India. Among predominant weapons, knives have even used these days. The objects recovered from various sites of Central important place which have been discovered in various forms. They are known India during chalcolithic times have been classified in Tools, Implements, with thin tags, socketed knives and knives with the sharp edges. Knives basically and Weapons etc. used for cutting & tearing skin, meat etc as well as used for defense to prevent In the category of tools, chisel has played an important role for daily purpose. the aggressor getting too close. From Navdatoli, one complete and one This sharp edged tool is used for cutting metal, wood or stone. The chalco chisel fragmentary knife blades were found. The intact one had a tang and blade with has been found at Navdatoli which differs from the Indus Valley chisels. The pointed tip.11 Navdatoli chisel’s upper portion is with a convex top showing that it was not much Inseparable parts of Chalcolithic communities in defensive purpose are hammered over as is evident from its rectangular section.2 Chisels have also been swords and daggers which are offensive weapons. A sword is always long with a found at Nagda, Ujjain, Awra, Sooron and Kakrahtra. Bare metal chisels are known thin blade, while daggers commonly have short blades with or without a medium from early levels at Ujjain.3 ridge. Such daggers are reported from Nagda. One with near parallel edges and Another implement is wedges with wide splayed blade were used for another with broken edges12 and Sword like weapon made of iron found at splitting out the rock and levering up the slabs after loosening them possibly by Jaderua.13 means of fire. The early wedges are reported from Nagda during circa 600 B.C. Spear is a weapon used by hunters and warriors of different races. This weapon to 200 B.C.4 Similar objects have been reported from many other sites (chalcolithic was used for thrusting and throwing purposes. Spearheads are also reported from levels) of .. Anvil is useful tool consists of a mass of stone on which material is Kayatha, Tumain and Jaderua. Spearheads with sockets have been reported from supported, while being shaped under the hammer. Anvils have been reported from Kayatha and Jaderua.14Tumain has reported a long broken spearhead with its upper many of the sites of Central India like Ujjain, which one of the most significant edge thin and of leaf like formation.15 sites is from where the early evidence of a black smith’s forge has been reported.5 Likewise an arrowhead is a small pointed implement always used along The evidence of a blacksmiths forge is also from found at Jaderua.6 with a shaft to which it is attached. It is not a complete weapon by itself as it also Likewise agricultural implements were used for agricultural purposes and needs a Bow. The arrowheads have been reported from Navdatoli, Maheshwar, have been found from various sites of Central India. Among the group Axe is Kayatha, Mandsor, Awra, Manoti, Nagda, Jaderua, Sooron and Tripuri in Madhya an important agricultural tool which have been recovered from various Pradesh. chalcolithic sites in central India. The early specimens of copper axes have Ornaments of various types are found from the chalcolithic sites in central been recovered at Kayatha. Of these, one is complete, though small, and the India. They are found either intact in jewellary form or in pieces of an ornament. other which is bigger was found broken into two fragments. This is a distinct Some display distinctive type, whereas some others are examples of special advancement so far as the copper technology of the protohistoric period is techniques. Beads are the important among ornaments but when pieced together concerned. Here, it may be noted that they bear indentation marks similar to become bead necklaces. Beads made of materials have been found including those that were found on chalcolithic copper axes from other sites.7The axes semiprecious and other stones, terracotta, faience, shell, bone and ivory, coral, flat and having a convex cutting edge have been found at Navdatoli. One of glass, copper, gold etc. Generally the beads are of simple shapes but in addition them, however, is a shouldered axe. Some specimens have shallow groups of to these some of them are of typical shapes such as pendants, amulets, spacer, circles which were deliberately made; their significance, however, is uncertain.8. beads, button beads etc. A few others were prepared by special techniques At Nagda, the only specimen of axe is represented by a socket, with a protruding representing either decorative or symbolic features. They are cemented and end, being suggestively the base of an axe. Similar objects occur at many other stratified eye- beads and the etched carnelian and agate beads. All these are chalcolithic sites.9 classified and analyzed on the basis of geographical, chronological, socio-cultural and economic importance.16 Central India Journal of Historical And Archaeological Research, CIJHAR Volume V, Number 20, October-December 2016, ISSN 2277-4157 4 Dr. Ashish S. Shende Chalcolithic Communities Of Central India In Terms..... 5 The socio- economic study of the chalcolithic communities of Central References India, shows that, a large number of artistic objects have been found which 1. Rajan, K. V. Soundara 1980.Glimpses of Indian Culture, History and Archaeology, Delhi were made of a variety of materials such as metal, stone, bone and ivory, shell pp. 88-96. and terracotta. 2. Sankallia, H. D., B. Subbarao and S. B. Deo. 1958. Excavation at Maheshwar and Navadatoli, At chalcolithic site Nagda, Period I have yielded a disc fashioned on a pot 1952-53. Poone and Baroda. sherd which was discarded or thrown away. Pd. II and III have also yielded discs 3. IAR 1957-58: 30-36. made on pot sherds for amusements. These discs were found in different sizes. 4. Ancient India No.4, 1947-48: 257, Fig.38, Nos. 21-24. 5. IAR 1956-57: 27, Pl. XXXV, B.14 IAI, 203 Discs of terracotta from period II at Tumain have been found. Discs of ivory 6. IAR 1971-72: 29 17 from Tumain were also reported from period II. Discs of terracotta have been 7. Ansari, Z. D. and M. K. Dhavalikar. 1975. Excavations at Kayatha. Deccan College Research reported at Awra in the period II and III.18 Discs of terracotta, ivory and pottery Institute, Pune. with single or double perforations represented the objects of games and 8. Sankalia, H. D., S. B. Deo, Z. D. Ansari. 1971. ChalcolithicNavadatoli- The Excavations at amusements.19 Navadatoli1957-59. Pune, Baroda. Also the stone balls of various sizes have been unearthed from all 9.

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