Names and dates

Archaeologists have given lengthy names for the time that we are studying.They call the earliest period the Palaeolithic. This comes from two Greek words, ‘palaeo’, meaning old, and ‘lithos’, meaning stone. The name points to the importance of finds of stone tools. The Palaeolithic period extends from 2 million years ago to about 12,000 years ago. This long stretch of time is divided into the Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. This long span of time covers 99% of human history.The period when we find environmental changes, beginning about 12,000 years ago till about 10,000 years ago is called the Mesolithic (middle stone). Stone tools found during this period are generally tiny, and are called microliths. Microliths were probably stuck on to handles of bone or wood to make tools such as saws and sickles. At the same time, older varieties of tools continued to be in use.The next stage, from about 10,000 years ago, is known as the Neolithic.
We have also mentioned the name of some places. You will find the names of many more places in later chapters. Very often, we use presentday names of the places where people lived in the past, because we do not know what they called them.
the Mesolithic period (12,000-10,000 years ago)

the beginning of the Neolithic (10,000 years ago)

Bhimbetka (in presentday Madhya Pradesh).Some sites, known as habitation sites, are places  here  people lived. These include caves and rock shelters such as the one shown here. People chose these natural caves because they provided shelter from the rain, heat and wind. Natural caves and rock shelters are found in the Vindhyas and the Deccan plateau. These rock shelters are close to the Narmada valley.