Difference Between Paleolithic and Neolithic

Difference Between Paleolithic and Neolithic Age

GS Paper I | Prehistory | NCERT Class XI Based

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Conceptual Introduction

This section is for conceptual clarity only. UPSC-oriented notes follow.

Prehistory is divided into different stages based on human technological advancement, subsistence patterns, and lifestyle. Among these, the Paleolithic and Neolithic ages represent two fundamentally different stages of human development.

The transition from Paleolithic to Neolithic marks a shift from food gathering to food production, which laid the foundation of permanent settlements and civilization.

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1. Meaning

• Paleolithic Age: Old Stone Age; earliest phase of human history.
• Neolithic Age: New Stone Age; phase of food production and settled life.

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2. Difference Between Paleolithic and Neolithic (Comparison Table)

Basis	Paleolithic Age	Neolithic Age
Time Period	c. 2 million BCE – 10,000 BCE	c. 10,000 BCE – 4,000 BCE (varies regionally)
Tools	Rough, unpolished stone tools	Polished and refined stone tools
Economy	Hunting, fishing, and food gathering	Agriculture and animal domestication
Mode of Life	Nomadic	Sedentary (settled life)
Housing	Caves, rock shelters, temporary huts	Permanent houses and villages
Food Production	No food production	Beginning of food production
Pottery	Absent	Present
Clothing	Animal skins and leaves	Woven clothes
Art	Cave paintings (e.g., hunting scenes)	Pottery designs and symbolic art
Social Structure	Small bands with simple social organization	Village communities with social differentiation

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3. Importance of the Neolithic Revolution

• Led to permanent settlements.
• Surplus food production.
• Population growth.
• Foundation for civilization.

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4. Conclusion (UPSC Ready)

The Paleolithic Age represents the hunting-gathering stage of human life, while the Neolithic Age marks the beginning of agriculture, permanent settlements, and social complexity, making it a turning point in human history.

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5. UPSC Previous Year Question (Concept Based)

Q. Which one of the following is the most significant feature of the Neolithic Age?
(a) Use of copper tools
(b) Domestication of animals and plants
(c) Cave paintings
(d) Use of microliths

Answer: (b) Domestication of animals and plants

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Sources

NCERT Class XI – Ancient India, IGNOU BA History Notes