Sources of History
Unwritten sources like tools weapons coins jewellery cave painting and drawing as dug out from below the earth are the evidence for the Prehistoric period.
Archaeological Sources
There are many archaeological sources few of them are:
- Tools and Weapons- the early man made crude tools from hard stones. Later Flint another variety of Grey stone was used to make better tools with star per a just like a nice like played a Borer and others like these.
- Megaliths- these are huge stones, dug out at the burial sites. They tell us about the religious believes and customs of the early man. In India, graves lined with megaliths have been found all over Deccan.
- Shelters- The early man also used wood, branches of trees, hides, bones, of large animals to make his shelter.
- Animal bones- Animal bones have been found at different places that are less about vegetation climate temperature etc of the region. It help us to know that early man lived in harmony with animals. However human beings lived by the side of the lakes and river on near water resources for regular supply of water and food.
- Pottery, Art facts, Cave Paintings and Jewellery- These artefacts of the early man belong to the Prehistoric period. These are called cultural items of evidence and give us a lot information about the lifestyle and the customs of the early man. Early man made metal jewellery he also made rough painting on rocks in the cave. He used burnt bones would coloured Earth mixed with water or animal fat to paint on the cave walls.
- Old Buildings and Monuments- The remains of many old buildings and monuments are important source of history. The towns like Mohenjo Daro Harappa Patliputra and Takshila have been found. They give a lot of information about the lifestyle and culture of those people.
- Coins - The study of coins is numismastic. Ancient coin found at different places give us valuable information about the economic condition of many Kingdom from these coins we know about the period the age and The chronological order of the rulers. We also learn about the personal character and qualities of the rulers about the span of their rule and the extent of their domain.
- Edicts and inscriptions - Addict is an official order such official orders were engraved on metals stone rock or pillars thousand of these have been found which relate to Harappa belonging to 3000 BC certain important facts or events relating to Kings were also engraved these are called inscription.
Does archaeology is very important sources to construct and reconstruct history specially of the Prehistoric period for which no written record is available.
Literacy sources
- The first written script was in the form of pictures of object like the sun and the moon this script was called pictogram.
- It was first developed in Mesopotamia between 3202 and 2800 BC.
- It was known as the cuneiform writing.
- Written records of pension India can be divided broadly into following categories:-
- Religious and secular text
Series of events
- Travelogues and accounts of foreigners.
Religious and secular text - the four Vedas namely the Rig Veda the Sham Veda the yajur Veda the Atharva Veda of the early Vedic paper are most important sources of ancient history. The Jatakas throw light on the political economic social and cultural conditions between second and third centuries BC.