📖 Open Your History Textbook to Page Number 12
GRADE 6 • HISTORY • SSC MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD
Chapter 2: Prehistoric Period
Page 12 — Easy Page-wise Explanation
🪨 Neolithic Age
📜 Development of the Neolithic Axe
During the Neolithic Age, further
progress was made in the tool-making
technique. A new type of stone tool called
‘axe’ was made in this period. Tools
resembling an axe blade were made in the
Palaeolithic Age, but the new type of axe
blade was a polished one. The technique
of hafting that axe blade on a handle was
developed. This is prototype of the modern
axe.
🌟 Simple Explanation
- Tool-making methods developed further during the Neolithic Age.
- Humans made a new type of stone tool called an axe.
- Axe-shaped blades had also been made during the Palaeolithic Age.
- However, the new Neolithic axe blade was polished and smoother.
- Humans developed a method of fixing the stone axe blade firmly onto a handle.
- The method of attaching a blade to a handle is called hafting.
- This Neolithic axe became an early model of the modern axe.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Technique – a particular method of doing or making something. | तंत्र – एखादी गोष्ट करण्याची किंवा तयार करण्याची पद्धत. | तकनीक – किसी कार्य को करने या वस्तु बनाने की विधि. |
| Resembling – looking similar to something. | सारखे दिसणारे – एखाद्या गोष्टीसारखे रूप असलेले. | समान दिखने वाले – किसी वस्तु के जैसा दिखाई देना. |
| Axe blade – the sharp cutting part of an axe. | कुऱ्हाडीचे पाते – कुऱ्हाडीचा धारदार कापणारा भाग. | कुल्हाड़ी का फल – कुल्हाड़ी का धारदार काटने वाला भाग. |
| Polished – rubbed until smooth and properly finished. | घासून गुळगुळीत केलेले – घासून नीट आणि सपाट केलेले. | घिसकर चिकना किया हुआ – रगड़कर अच्छी तरह चिकना बनाया गया. |
| Hafting – fixing a stone blade firmly onto a handle. | दांडी बसवणे – दगडी पाते दांड्यावर घट्ट बसवणे. | हत्था लगाना – पत्थर के फल को हत्थे पर मजबूती से लगाना. |
| Prototype – an early model of a later tool or object. | प्रारंभिक नमुना – नंतरच्या वस्तूचा सुरुवातीचा नमुना. | प्रारम्भिक नमूना – बाद में बनी वस्तु का शुरुआती रूप. |
💡 Useful Information
The important improvement was not only polishing the stone blade but also fixing it firmly onto a handle.
🎯 Clear Concept
The polished and hafted Neolithic axe was an early form of the modern axe.
🖼️ Explanation of the Neolithic Axe
🌟 Simple Image Explanation
The image shows a Neolithic axe. A polished stone blade is fitted onto a long wooden handle. The handle would make the tool easier to hold and use.
🎯 Clear Concept
The Neolithic axe combined a polished stone blade with a wooden handle.
📜 Development of Agricultural Technology
The most important developement
during this period was the progress in
agricultural technology. During the
Mesolithic period, humans had learnt to
harvest natural crops. In the Neolithic
period, they began sowing grains during
the appropriate seasons. During this span
of agricultural operations from sowing to
harvesting, it became necessary for them to
remain in one place. Gradually they settled
at one place for longer span of time. This
led to the emergence of village settlements.
🌟 Simple Explanation
- Agricultural technology made important progress during the Neolithic Age.
- During the earlier Mesolithic Age, humans had learnt to collect naturally growing crops.
- During the Neolithic Age, humans began sowing grains themselves.
- They sowed the grains during seasons suitable for growing them.
- Agriculture required several operations, beginning with sowing and ending with harvesting.
- Humans had to remain in one place while completing these agricultural activities.
- They gradually began staying in the same place for longer periods.
- This settled agricultural life led to the emergence of village settlements.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural technology – methods and skills used in farming. | कृषी तंत्रज्ञान – शेतीसाठी वापरल्या जाणाऱ्या पद्धती आणि कौशल्ये. | कृषि तकनीक – खेती में उपयोग होने वाली विधियाँ और कौशल. |
| Natural crops – crops growing naturally without planned sowing. | नैसर्गिक पिके – नियोजित पेरणीशिवाय नैसर्गिकरीत्या वाढणारी पिके. | प्राकृतिक फसलें – योजनाबद्ध बुआई के बिना प्राकृतिक रूप से उगने वाली फसलें. |
| Sowing – putting seeds into the soil. | पेरणी – जमिनीत बियाणे टाकणे. | बुआई – मिट्टी में बीज डालना. |
| Appropriate seasons – seasons suitable for a particular activity. | योग्य ऋतू – एखाद्या कामासाठी अनुकूल असलेले ऋतू. | उचित ऋतुएँ – किसी कार्य के लिए उपयुक्त मौसम. |
| Harvesting – collecting fully grown crops. | पीक कापणी – तयार झालेले पीक कापून गोळा करणे. | फसल कटाई – तैयार फसल को काटकर इकट्ठा करना. |
| Village settlements – organised places where groups of people live permanently. | गावांच्या वस्त्या – लोकांचे समूह कायमस्वरूपी राहतात अशी संघटित ठिकाणे. | ग्राम बस्तियाँ – वे संगठित स्थान जहाँ लोग स्थायी रूप से समूह में रहते हैं. |
💡 Useful Information
Farming required humans to care for crops from sowing until harvesting. Therefore, they could no longer keep moving continuously.
🎯 Clear Concept
Agriculture encouraged humans to remain in one place and establish villages.
📊 Try this
Prepare a comparative chart illustrating
the changes in the human way of life
through the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and
Neolithic periods
🌟 Simple Explanation of the Activity
Compare the tools, food, shelter, occupations and way of life of humans during the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods.
✅ Textbook-based Comparative Chart
| Feature | Palaeolithic Age | Mesolithic Age | Neolithic Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tools | Rough stone tools used for hunting, scraping and digging. | Smaller stone tools; sharp tools made by grinding and polishing horns and bones. | Polished stone axe blades fixed onto wooden handles. |
| Shelter | Caves or branches of large trees. | Natural caves, rock shelters and temporary seasonal camps. | Permanent settlements and villages. |
| Food-related activities | Hunting and dependence upon nature. | Hunting, fishing and harvesting natural crops. | Sowing grains, harvesting crops and producing food grains and milk. |
| Animals | The textbook paragraph does not mention domestication in this period. | Dogs, goats and sheep were domesticated; the dog was first. | Animals were domesticated and used for work and carrying heavy loads. |
| Way of life | Completely dependent upon nature. | Transition from nomadic life towards settled life. | Settled agricultural life in villages near fertile riverbanks. |
| Important developments | Use of fire. | Smaller tools, fishing and animal domestication. | Agriculture, food storage, pottery, weaving and wooden-boat navigation. |
📜 Invention of Agriculture and Cultivation
The invention of agriculture is an
important development of the Neolithic
period. During this period, humans
developed the technique of production
food-grains and milk. Women are credited
to have started cultivation. They might
have used pointed sticks to sow seeds. In
order to dig deeper into the soil, the stick
🌟 Simple Explanation
- The invention of agriculture was an important Neolithic development.
- Humans developed methods for producing food grains and milk.
- The textbook credits women with beginning cultivation.
- Women may have used pointed sticks to place seeds in the soil.
- To make the stick dig more deeply into the soil, an additional improvement was made.
- The explanation of this improvement continues after the textbook image.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Invention – the creation of a new method or thing. | शोध – नवीन पद्धत किंवा वस्तू तयार करणे. | आविष्कार – नई विधि या वस्तु का निर्माण. |
| Production – the process of growing or making something. | उत्पादन – एखादी गोष्ट तयार किंवा पिकवण्याची प्रक्रिया. | उत्पादन – किसी वस्तु को बनाने या उगाने की प्रक्रिया. |
| Credited – recognised as responsible for something. | श्रेय दिले – एखाद्या कामासाठी जबाबदार मानले. | श्रेय दिया – किसी कार्य के लिए उत्तरदायी माना गया. |
| Cultivation – preparing land and growing crops. | शेती – जमीन तयार करून पिके वाढवणे. | खेती – भूमि तैयार करके फसल उगाना. |
| Pointed sticks – sticks having sharp ends. | टोकदार काठ्या – धारदार किंवा निमुळते टोक असलेल्या काठ्या. | नुकीली लकड़ियाँ – तेज या नुकीले सिरे वाली लकड़ियाँ. |
🎯 Clear Concept
Pointed sticks were an early agricultural tool used for sowing seeds.
🖼️ Explanation of the Sowing-Seeds Image
🌟 Simple Image Explanation
- The image shows two women working in cultivated soil.
- They are using long pointed sticks to sow seeds.
- A stone weight is fixed near the lower part of each stick.
- The added weight helps the pointed stick enter more deeply into the soil.
🎯 Clear Concept
Weighted pointed sticks made it easier to place seeds deeper in the soil.
📜 Agriculture, Food Storage and Innovation
was weighted using a perforated stone.
Women in some tribes still sow seeds by this
method. As a steady supply of food grains
became available to meet their needs,
humans stopped their constant wandering.
The stability provided by agriculture made
it possible to store harvested food grains
for longer periods. They began to produce
surplus quantity than was needed. Later
on, some men and women within the group
could find time to explore new ideas and
to develop new skills through innovation
and creativity. This gave them stability
and enabled them to achieve progress in
numerous fields.
🌟 Simple Explanation
- A perforated stone was fixed to the pointed stick to add weight.
- The added weight helped the stick dig deeper into the soil.
- The textbook states that women in some tribes still use this sowing method.
- A regular supply of food grains became available through agriculture.
- Because their food needs could be met, humans stopped wandering continuously.
- Agriculture gave human life greater stability.
- Harvested grains could be stored for longer periods.
- People began producing more food than they immediately needed.
- This extra food is called a surplus.
- Some group members now had time to think about new ideas.
- They developed new skills through innovation and creativity.
- This stability helped humans make progress in many different fields.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Perforated stone – a stone having a hole through it. | छिद्र असलेला दगड – ज्यामध्ये आरपार भोक केलेले आहे असा दगड. | छेद वाला पत्थर – ऐसा पत्थर जिसमें आर-पार छेद हो. |
| Steady supply – a regular and dependable amount. | नियमित पुरवठा – सातत्याने आणि विश्वासाने मिळणारे प्रमाण. | नियमित आपूर्ति – लगातार और भरोसेमंद रूप से मिलने वाली मात्रा. |
| Constant wandering – continuously moving from place to place. | सतत भटकंती – एका ठिकाणाहून दुसरीकडे सतत फिरत राहणे. | लगातार भटकना – एक स्थान से दूसरे स्थान पर निरंतर घूमना. |
| Surplus quantity – an amount greater than what is needed. | अतिरिक्त प्रमाण – गरजेपेक्षा जास्त असलेले प्रमाण. | अतिरिक्त मात्रा – आवश्यकता से अधिक मात्रा. |
| Innovation – developing a new idea or method. | नवकल्पना – नवीन विचार किंवा पद्धत विकसित करणे. | नवाचार – नया विचार या तरीका विकसित करना. |
| Creativity – the ability to produce new ideas. | सर्जनशीलता – नवीन कल्पना निर्माण करण्याची क्षमता. | रचनात्मकता – नए विचार उत्पन्न करने की क्षमता. |
💡 Useful Information
Food surplus allowed people to store grains and spend time developing other skills and new ideas.
🎯 Clear Concept
Agriculture provided food security, stability, surplus production and time for innovation.
📜 Animals, Pottery, Weaving and Boats
Along with agriculture, humans learnt
to domesticate animals. Some animals
were used for hard work and for carrying
heavy loads. Along with the development
of agriculture, the art of making earthern
pots emerged. Pots of various shapes and
colors were made and decorated with
beautiful artistic designs. During this same
period the art of weaving was mastered. In
the Neolithic Age, they learnt the skill of
navigating wooden boats.
🌟 Simple Explanation
- Humans learnt to domesticate animals along with developing agriculture.
- Some domesticated animals were used for difficult physical work.
- Animals were also used for carrying heavy loads.
- The art of making earthen pots developed along with agriculture.
- Pots were made in different shapes and colours.
- People decorated the pots with beautiful artistic designs.
- People also mastered the skill of weaving during this period.
- Neolithic humans learnt how to navigate wooden boats.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Earthen pots – pots made from clay or earth. | मातीची भांडी – मातीपासून तयार केलेली भांडी. | मिट्टी के बर्तन – मिट्टी से बनाए गए बर्तन. |
| Artistic designs – attractive patterns made using creative skill. | कलात्मक नक्षी – सर्जनशील कौशल्याने तयार केलेले सुंदर नमुने. | कलात्मक डिज़ाइन – रचनात्मक कौशल से बनाए गए सुंदर नमूने. |
| Weaving – making cloth by crossing threads together. | विणकाम – धागे एकमेकांत गुंफून कापड तयार करणे. | बुनाई – धागों को एक-दूसरे में पिरोकर कपड़ा बनाना. |
| Mastered – learnt a skill very well. | प्रभुत्व मिळवले – एखादे कौशल्य खूप चांगल्या प्रकारे शिकले. | निपुणता प्राप्त की – किसी कौशल को बहुत अच्छी तरह सीखा. |
| Navigating – directing and controlling a boat’s movement. | नौकानयन – नौकेची दिशा आणि हालचाल नियंत्रित करणे. | नौकायन – नाव की दिशा और गति को नियंत्रित करना. |
🎯 Clear Concept
Neolithic humans developed animal domestication, pottery, weaving and wooden-boat navigation.
📜 Settled Life and the Family
In the Neolithic Age, along with the
advancement of agriculture, people began
to settle down in fertile regions along the
riverbanks. Their nomadic way of life
came to an end. The institution of family
began to take shape during this period.
🌟 Simple Explanation
- Agriculture continued to advance during the Neolithic Age.
- People began settling in fertile areas near riverbanks.
- These fertile regions were suitable for agriculture.
- People stopped following a nomadic way of life.
- Their wandering life came to an end as they settled permanently.
- The institution of the family began taking shape during this settled period.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Advancement – further development or progress. | प्रगती – पुढील विकास किंवा सुधारणा. | उन्नति – आगे का विकास या सुधार. |
| Fertile regions – areas having soil suitable for growing crops. | सुपीक प्रदेश – पिके वाढवण्यासाठी योग्य माती असलेले भाग. | उपजाऊ क्षेत्र – फसल उगाने योग्य मिट्टी वाले स्थान. |
| Riverbanks – land along the sides of rivers. | नदीकाठ – नदीच्या बाजूचा भूभाग. | नदी के किनारे – नदी के दोनों ओर की भूमि. |
| Institution of family – the organised social system of family life. | कुटुंबसंस्था – कुटुंबाच्या रूपातील संघटित सामाजिक व्यवस्था. | परिवार संस्था – परिवार के रूप में संगठित सामाजिक व्यवस्था. |
| Take shape – to begin developing into a clear form. | आकार घेणे – स्पष्ट स्वरूपात विकसित होण्यास सुरुवात होणे. | आकार लेना – स्पष्ट रूप में विकसित होना शुरू करना. |
💡 Useful Information
Fertile riverbanks supplied suitable land for farming. This encouraged permanent settlements and stable family life.
🎯 Clear Concept
Agriculture ended nomadic life and encouraged permanent settlements and the development of families.