Prehistoric Delhi And Its Neighbourhood

The book takes back the antiquity of Delhi and neighbouring areas, located on the contours of the Aravallis, to several hundred thousand years back. It gives a first hand account of one of the biggest palaeolithic sites in the Indian sub-continent, discovered and excavated by the author, where Stone Age tools were recovered from different palaeo-channel areas in development sequence. The palaeo-channels were formed as a result of shifting of Yamuna, which in turn was caused due to massive tectonic movements. The richness of the site in variety and quality of tools makes it a text book site for the students of pre-history and also for the common man.

The book gives a glimpse of life of early men who roamed, prepared tools and hunted animals in an entirely different environmental and climatic conditions that prevailed around Delhi more than two hundred thousand years back. Profusely illustrated with maps, line drawings and rare photographs, the volume paints a vivid picture of life in Delhi and surrounding territories from earliest times to the beginning of the historical period.

The results of the excavations conducted by the author in 1991 and 1992, opens a vast area for further investigations in prehistoric archaeology and palaeo-anthropology as the palaeo-channels also hold promise for the possible discovery of fossil remains of Stone Age man in India.

About the Author:

Shri A.K. Sharma is a well known archaeologist of repute. He is internationally known for his original contribution in the field of archaeology and anthropology. During thirty three years of his hectic career, in different capacities in Archaeological Survey of India, he explored and excavated a number of sites throughout the length and breadth of the country, particularly in remote and inaccessible areas of North-East India. For the first time, through his field works he brought Sikkim and Lakshadweep island in the archaeological map of the country. To his credit goes the discovery and excavation of biggest Stone Age site Anangpur, near Delhi, the biggest pre-historic cave of Kachagad in Maharashtra, the sprawling nucleus megalithic sites in Chhatisgarh and the discovery of horse bones in Harappan context which have been internationally acknowledged.

He has to his credit more than 50 published research papers on anthropology, archaeo-zoology, pre-history and other aspects of archaeology. His recent book, Emergence of Early Culture in North-East India and his popular writings in the India Magazine have been widely acclaimed. At present, Shri Sharma is working as Officer on Special Duty in Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi.

PREFACE

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. GENERAL

   Physical Features

   1. Geology

   2. River Courses

   3. Yamuna-Palaeochannels

   4. Climate

   5. Flora

   6. Fauna

3. THE SITE

4. ANANGPUR PALAEOLITHIC INDUSTRY

   1. Palaeochannel V

   2. Palaeochannel IV

5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

   BIBLIOGRAPHY

   INDEX