The Personality of India: Pre- and Proto-historic Foundation of India and Pakistan c13.s3.t1.5

c13.s3.t1.5

North and Central Gujarat provide excellent evidence for the study of the settlement pattern of these communities. In the Upper pleistocene, extensive wind-activity (referred to already) has left a vast area of fossil sand dunes and "blow-outs" or depressions, formed by the whirlpools of wind caught between the dunes. When the area became more habitable with the resumption of wetter conditions, some of these blow-outs supported small natural ponds. It seems that, in one of these wet phases, man settled on the tops of these wind-blown dunes surrounding those ponds. During the explorations it was found that ancient sites were located either on the cliffs of the rivers or on isolated groups of dunes with ponds. Thus, we can bring to our minds the picture of these hunting communities settling on the well-drained areas with water to support them and their prey.² Since no evidence of any definite habitation or houses have been found, we can only postulate nomadic people with very transient habitations.