📖 Open Your History Textbook to Page Number 13
GRADE 6 • HISTORY • SSC MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD
Chapter 2: Prehistoric Period
Page 13 — Easy Page-wise Explanation
⚒️ 2.4 Chalcolithic Age
📜 Copper, Stone Tools and the Wheel
Humans discovered the use of copper
in the chalcolithic period. However, the
stone tools still remained in use. For this
reason, this period is designated as the
‘Chalcolithic Age’ (Copper-Stone Age).
Wheel was invented during the Chalcolithic
Age. As a result of this, transportation
became faster and convenient. During this
period, land was brought under cultivation
on a large scale.
🌟 Simple Explanation
- Humans discovered how to use copper during this period.
- However, they did not completely stop using stone tools.
- They used tools made from both copper and stone.
- Therefore, the period is called the Chalcolithic Age or Copper-Stone Age.
- The wheel was invented during the Chalcolithic Age.
- The wheel made transportation faster.
- It also made the movement of people and goods more convenient.
- Larger areas of land were brought under cultivation during this period.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Copper – a reddish-brown metal. | तांबे – लालसर तपकिरी रंगाचा धातू. | ताँबा – लाल-भूरे रंग की धातु. |
| Remained in use – continued to be used. | वापरात राहिले – वापरणे पुढेही सुरू राहिले. | उपयोग में रहे – जिनका उपयोग आगे भी जारी रहा. |
| Designated – given a particular name. | नाव देण्यात आले – विशिष्ट नावाने ओळखले गेले. | नाम दिया गया – किसी विशेष नाम से पहचाना गया. |
| Transportation – movement of people or goods between places. | वाहतूक – लोक किंवा वस्तू एका ठिकाणाहून दुसरीकडे नेणे. | परिवहन – लोगों या वस्तुओं को एक स्थान से दूसरे स्थान तक ले जाना. |
| Convenient – easy and useful. | सोयीस्कर – सोपे आणि उपयोगी. | सुविधाजनक – आसान और उपयोगी. |
| Cultivation – preparing land and growing crops. | लागवड – जमीन तयार करून पिके वाढवणे. | खेती – भूमि तैयार करके फसल उगाना. |
💡 Useful Information
“Chalcolithic” refers to the period when both copper and stone tools were used.
🎯 Clear Concept
Copper, stone tools, the wheel and large-scale cultivation were important features of the Chalcolithic Age.
📜 Trade, Skilled Occupations and Urbanisation
An expansion of trade became possible
with easier transportation of goods. Distant
trade increased during the Chalcolithic
Age. Similarly, skill-based occupations
such as carpentry and metalworking were
developed. As a result of this, trade centers
emerged and expanded. This was the
beginning of urbanisation.
🌟 Simple Explanation
- Improved transportation made carrying goods easier.
- Because goods could be transported more easily, trade expanded.
- Trade with distant places increased during the Chalcolithic Age.
- Occupations requiring special skills also developed.
- Carpentry and metalworking were important examples.
- Trade centres emerged and gradually became larger.
- The growth of trade centres marked the beginning of urbanisation.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Expansion – growth or increase in size. | विस्तार – आकार किंवा प्रमाणात वाढ. | विस्तार – आकार या मात्रा में वृद्धि. |
| Distant trade – trade with places located far away. | दूरचा व्यापार – दूर असलेल्या प्रदेशांशी होणारा व्यापार. | दूरस्थ व्यापार – दूर स्थित क्षेत्रों के साथ होने वाला व्यापार. |
| Skill-based occupations – jobs requiring special abilities. | कौशल्याधारित व्यवसाय – विशेष कौशल्यांची गरज असलेले व्यवसाय. | कौशल-आधारित व्यवसाय – विशेष कौशल की आवश्यकता वाले काम. |
| Carpentry – the skill of making objects from wood. | सुतारकाम – लाकडापासून वस्तू तयार करण्याचे कौशल्य. | बढ़ईगिरी – लकड़ी से वस्तुएँ बनाने का कौशल. |
| Metalworking – making objects by shaping metal. | धातुकाम – धातूला आकार देऊन वस्तू तयार करणे. | धातु-कर्म – धातु को आकार देकर वस्तुएँ बनाना. |
| Urbanisation – the development and growth of towns. | नागरीकरण – नगरांचा विकास आणि विस्तार होण्याची प्रक्रिया. | नगरीकरण – नगरों के विकास और विस्तार की प्रक्रिया. |
🎯 Clear Concept
Better transportation expanded trade, developed skilled occupations and led towards urbanisation.
📜 Crops, Hunting, Fishing and Animal Husbandry
The Chalcolithic people cultivated crops such as wheat, sorghum (jowar), rice,
pulses and cotton. They also ocassionally
went on hunting and fishing. However,
these activities were not their primary
means of subsistance. In supplement to
agriculture, animal husbandry was an
additional activity which became an
integral part of their daily lives.
🌟 Simple Explanation
- Chalcolithic people cultivated several kinds of crops.
- These crops included wheat, sorghum or jowar, rice, pulses and cotton.
- They sometimes hunted animals and caught fish.
- However, hunting and fishing were not their main sources of food and livelihood.
- Agriculture was their primary activity.
- Animal husbandry was practised as an additional activity.
- Keeping and caring for animals became an important part of their daily lives.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Sorghum – a cereal crop also called jowar. | ज्वारी – धान्याचे एक पीक. | ज्वार – अनाज की एक फसल. |
| Pulses – edible dried seeds such as gram and lentils. | कडधान्ये – हरभरा आणि डाळींसारख्या खाण्यायोग्य सुक्या बिया. | दालें – चना और मसूर जैसे खाने योग्य सूखे बीज. |
| Occasionally – sometimes, but not regularly. | कधीकधी – नियमितपणे नाही, पण काही वेळा. | कभी-कभी – नियमित रूप से नहीं, पर कुछ अवसरों पर. |
| Means of subsistence – ways of obtaining food and basic needs. | उदरनिर्वाहाचे साधन – अन्न आणि मूलभूत गरजा मिळवण्याचे मार्ग. | जीविका के साधन – भोजन और मूल आवश्यकताएँ प्राप्त करने के तरीके. |
| Animal husbandry – keeping, caring for and raising animals. | पशुपालन – प्राणी पाळणे, त्यांची काळजी घेणे आणि वाढवणे. | पशुपालन – पशुओं को पालना, उनकी देखभाल करना और बढ़ाना. |
| Integral part – an important and necessary part. | अविभाज्य भाग – महत्त्वाचा आणि आवश्यक भाग. | अभिन्न अंग – महत्त्वपूर्ण और आवश्यक भाग. |
💡 Useful Information
Agriculture was the primary means of subsistence. Hunting, fishing and animal husbandry supported it as additional activities.
🎯 Clear Concept
Chalcolithic life was mainly agricultural, with animal husbandry as an important support.
📜 Burial Practices
During this period, the dead were
buried either inside the home or within the
courtyard. At burial sites, objects of daily
use and some pots are sometimes found
near the body.
🌟 Simple Explanation
- Chalcolithic people followed particular burial practices.
- Burials were sometimes made inside the home.
- They were also made within the courtyard.
- Archaeologists sometimes find objects used in daily life at burial sites.
- Some pottery is also found at these sites.
- These findings help researchers understand the customs of Chalcolithic people.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Buried – placed respectfully in the ground after death. | दफन केले – मृत्यूनंतर आदराने जमिनीत ठेवले. | दफनाया गया – मृत्यु के बाद सम्मानपूर्वक जमीन में रखा गया. |
| Courtyard – an open area beside or inside a home. | अंगण – घराच्या आत किंवा शेजारील मोकळी जागा. | आँगन – घर के अंदर या पास का खुला स्थान. |
| Burial sites – places where burials were carried out. | दफनस्थळे – ज्या ठिकाणी दफनविधी करण्यात आला ती ठिकाणे. | दफन स्थल – वे स्थान जहाँ दफन किया गया. |
🎯 Clear Concept
Burial sites and the objects found there reveal Chalcolithic customs.
🏺 2.5 Excavation Sites in Maharashtra
📜 Chalcolithic Sites Along Maharashtra’s Rivers
In Maharashtra, sites associated with
the Chalcolithic culture have been found on
the river banks such as the Tapi, Godavari,
Krishna, Bhima and Pravara. Excavations
at these sites have provided various objects,
including stone tools, pottery, copper
objects and large, hand-made storage jars.
🌟 Simple Explanation
- Several Chalcolithic sites have been found in Maharashtra.
- Many of these sites are situated along riverbanks.
- The rivers mentioned are the Tapi, Godavari, Krishna, Bhima and Pravara.
- Archaeologists conducted excavations at these sites.
- They found stone tools and different kinds of pottery.
- They also found objects made from copper.
- Large, handmade jars used for storage were also discovered.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Associated with – connected with something. | संबंधित – एखाद्या गोष्टीशी जोडलेले. | संबंधित – किसी चीज से जुड़ा हुआ. |
| Excavations – careful digging to find objects from the past. | उत्खनन – प्राचीन वस्तू शोधण्यासाठी केलेले काळजीपूर्वक खोदकाम. | खुदाई – प्राचीन वस्तुएँ खोजने के लिए सावधानी से किया गया खोदकाम. |
| Pottery – pots and other objects made from clay. | मातीची भांडी – मातीपासून तयार केलेली भांडी व वस्तू. | मिट्टी के बर्तन – मिट्टी से बनाई गई वस्तुएँ और बर्तन. |
| Storage jars – large containers used for keeping materials safely. | साठवणीची रांजणे – वस्तू सुरक्षित ठेवण्यासाठी वापरलेली मोठी भांडी. | भंडारण के मटके – वस्तुएँ सुरक्षित रखने के लिए उपयोग किए गए बड़े पात्र. |
💡 Useful Information
Excavated tools, pottery, copper objects and storage jars help archaeologists understand Chalcolithic settlements.
🎯 Clear Concept
Important Chalcolithic settlements developed along the riverbanks of Maharashtra.
🏺 Explanation of the Excavation Table
🌟 What Does the Table Show?
The table connects important Chalcolithic excavation sites with the archaeological evidence found at each place. The portion visible on page 13 describes Daimabad and Inamgaon.
📍 Daimabad — District Ahilyanagar
- Daimabad is an important archaeological site in Maharashtra.
- B. P. Bopardikar of the Archaeological Survey of India discovered the site.
- Four bronze objects were recovered there.
- They represent an ox attached to a cart, a water buffalo, a rhinoceros and an elephant.
- These four objects are collectively known as the Daimabad Bronzes.
📍 Inamgaon — District Pune
- Inamgaon is an excellent example of a developed Chalcolithic village settlement.
- Its excavation was conducted by Dr. H. D. Sankalia, Dr. Z. D. Ansari and Dr. M. K. Dhavalikar.
- Evidence of wheat, barley, rice, pulses, millet and sesame cultivation was identified.
- Bones of domesticated cattle, sheep and goats were discovered.
- Evidence of hunting deer, nilgai and wild boar was also found.
- The discoveries also provided evidence of fishing.
- Wheel-made pots had geometric patterns painted in black on their red surfaces.
- The table also records a twin-urn burial tradition using two joined earthen pots.
| Meanings | मराठी अर्थ | हिंदी अर्थ |
|---|---|---|
| Archaeological evidence – objects and remains that provide information about the past. | पुरातत्त्वीय पुरावा – भूतकाळाची माहिती देणाऱ्या वस्तू आणि अवशेष. | पुरातात्त्विक प्रमाण – अतीत की जानकारी देने वाली वस्तुएँ और अवशेष. |
| Bronze objects – objects made from the metal called bronze. | कांस्य वस्तू – कांस्य धातूपासून तयार केलेल्या वस्तू. | काँसे की वस्तुएँ – काँसा धातु से बनाई गई वस्तुएँ. |
| Harnessed – tied or fitted to pull a cart. | जुंपलेला – गाडी ओढण्यासाठी बांधलेला. | जोता हुआ – गाड़ी खींचने के लिए बाँधा गया. |
| Village settlement – an organised place where a village community lives. | ग्रामवस्ती – गावातील लोक एकत्र राहतात अशी संघटित वस्ती. | ग्राम बस्ती – वह संगठित स्थान जहाँ गाँव का समुदाय रहता है. |
| Identified – recognised or correctly found. | ओळखले गेले – योग्य प्रकारे शोधून ओळखले गेले. | पहचाना गया – सही रूप से खोजकर पहचान की गई. |
| Geometric patterns – designs made from lines and shapes. | भौमितिक नक्षी – रेषा आणि आकारांपासून तयार केलेले नमुने. | ज्यामितीय नमूने – रेखाओं और आकृतियों से बने डिज़ाइन. |
| Twin urn burial – a burial custom using two joined earthen pots. | द्विकुंभ दफन – दोन मातीची भांडी जोडून केलेली दफनपद्धती. | दो कलशों वाला दफन – दो मिट्टी के बर्तनों को जोड़कर की गई दफन प्रथा. |
💡 Useful Information
Archaeological evidence from Daimabad and Inamgaon provides information about metal objects, farming, domesticated animals, hunting, fishing, pottery, settlements and burial customs.
🎯 Clear Concept
Excavated objects help archaeologists reconstruct the daily life and culture of Chalcolithic communities.
➜ The excavation table continues with additional Maharashtra sites on textbook page 14.