MESOLITHIC SITES

MESOLITHIC SITES Mesolithic sites are fOW1d in good numbers in Rajasthan, Gujarat, southern and eastern Uttar Pradesh, and South India.

Rajasthan The Pachpadra basin and the Sojat area in Rajasthan are rich in microliths-small stone tools. Bagor on the river Kothari is the largest Mesolithic site in India. The site has been horizontally excavated and it gives evidence of three cultural phases. Phase I or the earliest phase has been placed between 5000 and 2000 Be. Tilwara, another important Mesolithic site in the state, has two cultural phases: Phase I (presence of microliths and hence Mesolithic) and Phase II (presence of pieces of iron together with microliths).

Gujarat Akhaj, Valasana, Hirpur and Langhnaj, situ­ated on the eastern bank of River Sabarmati, have yielded many Mesolithic tools. Langhnaj is the most extensively
studied site in the state.

Uttar Pradesh Sarai Nahar Rai in the Allahabad­Pratapgarh area of Uttar Pradesh is the most extensively studied Mesolithic site in the state. Morhana Pahar and Lekhahia are two other important Mesolithic sites.
Madhya Pradesh Bhimbetka and Adamgarh (Hosangabad) are among the prominent Mesolithic sites in this state.

Eastern India Chhota Nagpur plateau Oharkhand); Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and SW1dergarh (Orissa); Birbhanpur (West Bengal); and Sehalgiri 2 in Garo Hills (Meghalaya) have yielded Pre-Neolithic and Neolithic microliths.
South India The Krishna and Bhima rivers have produced many microliths. The Godavari delta is also rich in microliths. Microliths have also been reported from RenigW1ta (Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh).