The recent revelation, fueled by carbon dating on excavated items found in Tamil Nadu, has pushed the earliest evidence of iron use in India back to 4,200 years ago. This precedes the previously known evidence, which mapped iron usage at around 1900-2000 BCE for the country and 1500 BCE for Tamil Nadu.
Discovery of early Iron Usage
The excavations, undertaken at Mayiladumparai in Tamil Nadu, have provided groundbreaking evidence that challenges existing historical timelines. The site is culturally significant, with materials dating from the Microlithic Age (30,000 BCE) to the Early Historic Age (600 BCE).
In addition to this, archaeologists have discovered the late Neolithic phase in Tamil Nadu began before 2200 BCE. This conclusion comes from a cultural deposit layer found approximately 25 cm below the ground level that dates back to the aforementioned time.
Insights into Neolithic Pottery
Archaeologists have also uncovered substantial evidence showing that black and red ware pottery was introduced during the late Neolithic phase. This contradicts the commonly accepted theory that black and red ware pottery was introduced during the Iron Age.
Significance of Iron in ancient India
Invention and application of iron forged the path for the production of agricultural tools and weapons, laying the foundation for an economically and culturally progressive civilization.
Despite the absence of any recorded evidence of iron usage in Indus Valley Civilization (1500 BCE), the recent findings insinuate that iron tools played a crucial role in deforestation. This eventually enabled humans to clear dense forest areas and utilize them for agricultural purposes.
Implications on Socio-economic Changes
The recent findings suggest our Iron Age started around 2000 BCE, rather than the previously believed 1500 BCE. Around 600 BCE, iron technology stimulated mass production, incited by socio-economic changes.
Insight into Stone Age
The Palaeolithic or Old Stone Age was characterized by a hunting and food gathering culture. The tools, including hand axes, spears, bows, and arrows, were typically made from hard rock quartzite. The Palaeolithic Age in India is divided into three phases: Early or Lower Palaeolithic (50,000 -100,000 BC), Middle Palaeolithic (100,000 – 40,000 BC), and Upper Palaeolithic (40,000 – 10,000 BC). Homo sapiens first appeared during the Upper Palaeolithic Age.
The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age marked a transition from the Pleistocene period to the Holocene period, accompanied by favorable changes in the climate. Domestication of animals began in this age, and tool-making technology improved, producing smaller and more geometrically advanced tools, known as Microliths.
The Neolithic or New Stone Age heralded the beginnings of food production. The use of pottery and the invention of crafts were characteristic features of this age. The tools used in this age included heavy ground tools like pestles, grinders, pounders, axes, and sickles.
Megalithic Culture: A Snapshot
Megaliths refer to large stone structures constructed either as burial or commemorative sites. While most megaliths in India are traced back to the Iron Age (1500 BC to 500 BC), some predate the Iron Age and extend up to 2000 BC. These megaliths are scattered across the Indian subcontinent, with the majority found in peninsular India, particularly in the states of Maharashtra (mainly in Vidarbha), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.