On the trail of the earliest people

Page No: 20

Let's Recall

1. Complete the sentences:

(a) Hunter-gatherers chose to live in caves and rock shelters because ————————.

► they provided shelter from rain, heat and wind

(b) Grasslands developed around ———————— years ago.

►12,000

(c) Early people painted on the ———————— of caves.

► walls

(d) In Hunsgi, tools were made of ————————.

► stones

2. Look at the present-day political map of the Indian subcontinent. Find out the states where Bhimbetka, Hunsgi and Kurnool are located.

Answer

Bhimbetka is in Madhya Pradesh, Hunsgi is in Karnataka and Kurnool is in Andhra Pradesh.

Let's Discuss

3. Why did the hunter-gatherers travel from place to place? In what ways are these similar to/different from the reasons for which we travel today?

Answer

Hunter-gatherers travelled from place-to-place:

• In search of plant and animal resources when had exhausted at one place.

• In search of smaller prey, or, in the case of deer and wild cattle, in search of grass and leaves. Therefore, those who hunted them had to follow their movements.

• Plants and trees bear fruit in different seasons. So, people may have moved from season to season in search of different kinds of plants.

• People living on the banks of rivers and lakes which are seasonal would have had to go in search of water during the dry seasons.

• Also, People may have travelled on foot to meet their friends and relatives.

Today, we do not travel for water and food but in search of jobs to earn their livelihood. Also, we travel to interesting place, business and to meet friends and relatives.

4. What tools would you use today for cutting fruit? What would they be made of?

Answer

We use knife for cutting fruit. It would be made of stainless steel.

5. List three ways in which hunter-gatherers used fire (see page 16). Would you use fire for any of these purposes today?

Answer

Hunt-gatherers used fire:

• To Cook food

• To scare away animals

• As a source of light

We would use fire to cook food.