Jain Sanctuaries of the Fortress of Gwalior

Author(s): T V G Shastri
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore

Page 33

(f) OTHER VILLAGES:
About 8 km. away along the hill zone or the western side of Gwalior city, six villages were found to have the evidence of microliths and bone points, near the rock shelters. They include: i. Shankarpur.
iv. Bitoli. Purani Chawani.
V.
Karela. iii. Bahadrupur.
vi. Rampur.
All the above villages gave the evidence of profusion of rock shelters microliths with fluted cores. They indicate existence of microlithic factory sites along the hill ranges of Gwalior, evidently, because of the availability of the raw material on the hills slopes.
Thus, it has to be concluded that the Gwalior region was the habitat of Pre-historic men, right from the old Stone Age, upto the Mesolithic period (40000 B.P.) The latter is well documented as revealed from the excavations of Gupteswar.
With the evidence of bone points used mainly during hunting, it may be stated that the region had been mostly used by the wandering hunter tribes in search of food and shelter. The rock shelters along the hills have demonstrated the artistic skill of the wandering tribe of hunters, in the rock paintings, containing, deer, peacock. They had a peculiar skill in portraying the line drawings of their tribe.
Further studies conducted by messers, Shriram Sharma and Erwin, in the Pre-historic past had indicated that due to some unexplained phenomenon the earth witnessed climatic changes between the years 40,000-15,000 B.P. Gwalior with profuse vegetation suddenly became devoid of greenry, as such, the whole landscape witnessed the Savanah type of grassland, with occassional patches of vegetation containing babul and date trees, lingering along the water channels.
The dry climate caused by Ris environment had brought in few periodic and fauna of the area. Fast moving servide and bovide with carnivores, occupied the land. Besides, the largest non-flying bird, the ostrich formed a special feature of the fauna of the period.
The ostrich was a typical, camel like bird, used to run great speeds of 50-70 km. per hour in herds. Evidence of high and powerful projectiles in the form of arrows tipped with barbs and points, had to be invented by the Pre-historic men to shoot them. There is evidence of such implements used by the Microlithic people in the area. The large ostrich when hunted, solved the food problem of man, for a few days, Besides, its empty shells
(13)