Prehistory of Manipur

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A map showing some of the most important archaeological sites discovered in Manipur ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN MANIPUR.jpg
A map showing some of the most important archaeological sites discovered in Manipur

The prehistory of Manipur is the period of human history between the first use of stone tools by early men and the time just preceding ancient Kangleipak.

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Comparing with other regions of the world, the development process of the archaeological work in Manipur is of recent times. [1] Archaeological research in Northeast India is severely scarce, mostly limited to surface explorations, and lacking in state-of-the-art methods. [2] The pioneering work in archeology was initiated by O. Kumar Singh. Before his presence, there was little information on the existence of the stone age culture of Manipur. [3] [1] O. Kumar Singh is of the view that "Pre-Historic people used to settle in the hills which was habitate by the meiteis and nagas during the Paleolithic and Mesolithic (Hoabinhian) culture while Neolithic people lived in both hills and valley. They came down to the valley at least by about 2000 BC." [3] On the basis of the characters of the tool industry, the prehistory of Manipur is broadly classified into three periods.

Human settlement

Few attempts have been made to establish the earliest human settlement in Northeast India, and it is generally thought to have been uninhabited by archaic humans prior to late Pleistocene due to unfavorable geographical conditions. This, however, is disputed, and Northeast Corridors are proposed by some scholars to have played a defining role in early hominid migrations and peopling of India. [4]

Paleolithic period

Paleolithic period is the most primitive stone culture era. The Paleolithic period varies from place to place. In Manipur's neighbouring country Myanmar, the lower Paleolithic culture started from 750000 to 275000 BP. Homo erectus began to settle on the banks of the Ayeyawaddy river in Burma in 750000 BCE. However, in case of Manipur, Paleolithic period started from 20,000 to 10,000 BCE. [3]

Most scholars don't discuss a paleolithic age in Manipur (and Northeast). [5] However, Manjil Hazarika, in his 2017 survey of prehistory of Northeast India, rejects that there exists any plausible ground to deny presence of Paleolithic culture in Manipur. [6]

A few paleolithic sites (Khangkhui, Napachik, Machi, Somgu and Singtom) have been located in Manipur. [7] Though, in absence of good chrono-stratigraphic context of the founds and their cohabitation with remains of other ages, accuracy of such identifications remains open to critiques. [5] The existence of Hoabinhian-like complexes remains disputed, as well. [8]

Evidence of Paleolithic habitation was discovered in five archeological sites, Songbu, Khangkhui, Machi, Nongpok Keithel Manbi and Singtom.

Mesolithic period

The Mesolithic period period is know from two remarkable archeological sites in Manipur. These are the Nongpok Keithelmanbi and the Tharon cave. [3] [11]

Neolithic period

Multiple neolithic sites have been identified in Manipur; they include Nongpok Keithelmanbi, Napachik, Laimenai, Naran Siena, and Phunan.Considered to be part of a larger Southeast Asian complex, the identifications are primarily accorded on the basis of stone tools and pottery (esp. cord-impressed ware); characteristic cultural identifiers of the Neolithic (agriculture, animal rearing etc.) are yet to be located and their development chronology is subject of active research. [21] Hazarika notes the Neolithic culture in Northeast to have begun some four thousand years after that in the Gangetic Plains. [22]

Meiteilon, lingua-franca of Meiteis belongs to the Tibeto-Burman phylum. [23] Hazarika notes the Manipuri sites to have an abundance of three-legged pottery and cord-impressed ware, very similar to the ones found in Southern China and Thailand, and hypothesizes that Manipur might have been the melting pot of Neolithic impulses from adjoining regions. [24] Roger Blench, in agreement with George van Driem's reconstructions of archeo-linguistic history of Southeast Asia, proposes that Northeast India accommodated a diverse group of foragers since neolithic age, who learned agriculture and animal rearing c. 4000 B.C before migrating eastwards and establishing the TB phylum. [25]

The Neolithic period is the last of the three Stone Age periods. It has four archeological sites in Manipur. [26] These are (1) Napachik, (2) Laimanai,> (3) Phuna (4) Nongpok Keithelmanbi. [27]

Chalcolithic and beyond

Hazarika notes the broader region to not show evidence of any significant cultural transformation, upon the dawning of Copper Age (and then, Iron Age). [29] The state has an abundance of megaliths of various shapes, serving distinct purposes. [30] Sometime before the Christian era, the valley got inhabited by distinct yeks (clans), who had probably migrated from Southern China during the late Iron Age. The hill-tribes are probably of indigenous origin. [31]

Bibliography

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References

  1. 1 2 "Digging up Manipur's archaeological past : An interaction with Dr. O.K. Singh". www.thesangaiexpress.com. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  2. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 2,10,11.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Joykumar Singh, N. (2015). "2". Emergence of Manipur as a nation state: from prehistory to mid eighteenth century. Delhi: Akansha Publishing House. ISBN   9788183704205 . Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  4. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 73-74,92.
  5. 1 2 Hazarika 2017, p. 75,80.
  6. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 153.
  7. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 79,90.
  8. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 86.
  9. ↑ Vashum, Reisang (2000). Nagas' Rights to Self Determination: An Anthropological-historical Perspective. Mittal Publications. p. 21. ISBN   978-81-7099-774-0.
  10. 1 2 Dr Th. Suresh Singh (2014). The Endless Kabaw Valley: British Created Visious Cycle of Manipur, Burma and India. Quills Ink Publishing. p. 13. ISBN   9789384318000.
  11. 1 2 Singh, E. Ishwarjit (2005). Manipur, a Tourist Paradise. B.R. Publishing Corporation. ISBN   978-81-7646-506-9.
  12. ↑ North East India History Association. Session (1993). Proceedings of North East India History Association. The Association.
  13. ↑ The Great Indian Corridor in the East. Mittal Publications. 2007. p. 25. ISBN   978-81-8324-179-3.
  14. ↑ Assam General Knowledge. Bright Publications. p. 26. ISBN   978-81-7199-451-9.
  15. ↑ Subba, Tanka Bahadur; Ghosh, G.C. (2003). The Anthropology of North-East India. Orient Blackswan. p. 18. ISBN   978-81-250-2335-7.
  16. ↑ Gajrani, S. (2004). History, Religion and Culture of India. Gyan Publishing House. p. 145. ISBN   978-81-8205-065-5.
  17. 1 2 Nagas at Work. Naga Students' Union Delhi. 1996.
  18. ↑ Sharma, Arun Kumar (1996). Early Man in Eastern Himalayas: North-East India and Nepal. Aryan Books International. ISBN   978-81-7305-065-7.
  19. ↑ Chatterjee, Bhaskar (1989). History and Archaeology: Prof. H.D. Sankalia Felicitation Volume. Ramanand Vidya Bhawan. ISBN   978-81-85205-46-5.
  20. 1 2 Sanajaoba, Naorem (1988). Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization. Mittal Publications. p. 393. ISBN   978-81-7099-853-2.
  21. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 95,100,111-112,141-142,153.
  22. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 140.
  23. ↑ Post 2017, p. 232,233.
  24. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 112-113,142-143.
  25. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 58.
  26. ↑ Hazarika, Manjil (January 2012). "The Neolithic Cultures of Northeast India and Adjoining Regions: A Comparative Study. Journal of Indian Ocean Archaeology 7: 98-148". Journal of Indian Ocean Archaeology (7): 98–148. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  27. ↑ Man & Environment. Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies. 2001.
  28. ↑ Raha, Manis Kumar; Ghosh, Aloke Kumar (1998). North-East India: The Human Interface. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN   978-81-212-0573-3.
  29. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 16.
  30. ↑ Hazarika 2017, p. 150,151.
  31. ↑ Parratt (2005), pp. 1, 3.
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