A History of Agriculture in India v1.c3.6

v1.c3.6

Apart from discussing the evolution of man in the light of the most recent findings of research, I have dealt with the evolution of his material culture in this book. This is necessary so that the evolution of man and his culture is firmly linked with the evolution of his animal ancestors. Moreover, the findings of modern archaeology, assisted by the 14carbon-dating method and by palynology, about man's material progress, such as the domestication of plants, are as spectacular as those of geology. Besides, I felt it necessary to provide history with the perspective of geological time so that historians realize how brief is the span of human history. When one considers the vicissitudes through which living beings have passed in the long geological history of the earth, the troubles which the present generation is facing seem insignificant. The findings of geology provide a new background to human history and impel us to discard the old ideas of the golden age in the past, for it has been proved beyond doubt that the material environment of man has progressively improved through the ages, and the comforts which are now enjoyed by the common man were not available even to the kings in the past.