New Stone Age
The New Stone Age followed the Old Stone Age. It is to he noted that the transition from Old Stone Age to New Stone Age was only gradual. The New Stone Age people had improved their life in all respects. The tile in the New Stone Age was not only more progressive than that of the Old Stone Age hut also varied. The New Stone Age people used trap rock instead of hard rock to make their stone implements Their stone weapons and tools were also more polished and sharpened The began to lead a settled life instead of wandering from place to place. These people abandoned caves and began to build clay huts and thatched houses for living. The New Stone Age people lived and worked in groups. It is important to know that this kind of group-life had subsequently led to the formation of villages.
The most important features of the New Stone Age include he beginning of agriculture domestication of animals and pottery ‘flaking, In short, the New Stone Age witnessed an all round development in the human life. This development indicates the, gradual evolution of human life in different stages. It had also resulted in enormous changes in human life. It took a long period for those changes to happen.
In the New Stone Age, people had learnt the art of cultivation. Therefore, they began to live in the river valleys since agriculture had become their primary occupation. They produced rice, millet, Vegetable and fruits. It is to be noted that the food gatherers of the Old Stone Age had become the food producers in the New Stone Age.
Domestication of Animals
During the New Stone Age, people started domesticating animals such as dog, sheep, cow and buffalo, Dog was helpful to them while going for hunting. Other animals such as cattle were used for transportation and also as food.
Wheel and Pottery
The discovery of wheel was a remarkable event in the life of man. The New Stone Age people used wheels to carry goods from one place to another. They also used the wheel for making pottery. In Tamil Nadu, the New Stone Age potteries have been discovered in the districts of Tirunelveli, Salem, Pudhukottai and Tiruchirapalli. Burial urn, water pots, lamps and other vessels of this period have also been found in these places.
Dress and Ornaments
The New Stone Age people knew the art of weaving. In Tamil Nadu, cotton was grown in plenty and it was used for weaving clothes. Cotton clothes were widely used by the New Stone Age people. Later, they developed the art of dyeing the clothes and wore colored clothes. The New Stone Age people used ornaments like necklace, beads and bangles. These ornaments were made of shells and bones.
The custom of burial developed during
the New Stone Age. Burial have been unearthed in several parts of Tamil