An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s5.18

v1.c9.s5.18

At this stage we are not in a position to define the degree of sedentism practised by the Mesolithic peoples. Probably camps were seasonal, but where water and food were available all the year round, there would be no reason why people should not have lived permanently. Thick habitation deposits at some sites—both BAGOR and BHIMBETKA have more than 1 m—and at both the continuity of technological tradition certainly suggests people returning repeatedly to the same camp site over long periods of time. There is evidence for rudimentary structures at some sites. At SARAI NAHAR RAI there was a large oblong floor covering an area of 6 × 4 m, made by ramming burnt clay nodules. On the floor occurred several hearths and plenty of animal bones and microliths. Four post-holes on the sides of the floor suggest a superstructure of some kind. At BAGOR and TILWARA numerous stones were brought on the dune to make stable floors. Small floors, up to 1 m across, compactly paved with stones at BAGOR were probably used for butchering animals and also as eating places. At TILWARA circular alignments of stones with diameters of 2·25 to 3·0 m suggest outlines of huts. In one of the shelters of BHIMBETKA a stone wall, 6 m long and 1 m wide, was made probably to partition off a part of the shelter.