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Chapter 09
Concluding Article & Proposal
The following points may be relevant i. The oldest evidence of man in Tibet is dated about 30,000 years
A second phase of human occupation occurred during the Neolithic period (early and
middle Holocene) iii. Mid Holocene conditions provided evidence for enlargement of areas favorable for grazing. iv. There is evidence that early hunters used the Tibet area during the warmer and wetter
Holocene period. 4. Climatic Evidence Climatic data of Tibet is available for the past 40,000 years. The data consists of environmental temperature based on oxygen-18 method from ice cores, thickness of ice sheet in Tibet and inferred lake levels etc. For western Tibet detailed climate record are available for the past 13000 years. From these studies, it is possible that i. Higher lake levels existed between 40000 and 30000 years. It is likely that the first
appearance of prehistoric man coincided with periods of high lake levels. The data show three periods of high temperature, the most recent warm period had an onset about 12000 years ago. Ice cores from Tibet studied by Dr. S. K. Gupta at Physical Research Laboratory by Oxygen-18 method show three relatively warm periods i) 32-36 thousand years, ii) 24 to 28 thousand years, and 12000 years to present. The intervening periods were very cold and ice thickness on Tibetan Plateau was significantly large. The cold and harsh climatic condition may have put constraints on development of civilization. The deeply incised glacial basins around the Kailash are the outcome of the prolonged glacial action. There are direct evidences of extensive glaciations in the region in the form of lateral moraines suggesting that the glaciers were more extensive compared to the present. Once the glacial climate initiated in the Kailash area, various Glycogenic features such as Arete, Horn, Truncated Spurs, Table land topography, Grooves and Protrusions (Differential
Erosion) were developed. These features were mistaken for human sculptured features. vi. Study of vegetation may also help. 5. Agriculture and Lord Rushabhdev During the early period of human civilization, man was completely dependent on nature for all his needs. The nature (trees and forests) provided almost all that the man needed at that point of time. Jain scripture and mythology, KALP VRUKSHA (Tree) describes this phenomenon. Jain scriptures further describes that Rushabhdev taught ASI, MASI & KRISI, i.e., defense, art and agriculture (Vol IV/23E/P1491-1496). This leads us to believe that Rushabhdev swami's reign must predate the first evidence of cultivation. In the early civilizations, people lived near banks of river for water. With the passage of time as civilizations matured, people migrated along the river routes as demonstrated by Harappa and Mohan-Jo-Daro excavations along Sindhu river valley which proves the above hypothesis. This
iv.
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A proposal for further research
