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Mehrgarh is sometimes cited as the earliest known farming settlement in South Asia, based on archaeological excavations from 1974 (Jarrige et al). The earliest evidence of settlement dates from 7000 BC. It's also cited for the earliest evidence of pottery in South Asia. Archaeologists divide the occupation at the site into several periods.
Mehrgarh Period I 7000-5500 BC, was neolithic and aceramic (i.e., without the use of pottery). The earliest farming in the area was developed by semi-nomadic people using plants such as wheat and barley and animals such as sheep, goat and cattle. The settlement was established with simple mud buildings with four internal subdivisions. Numerous burials have been found, many with elaborate goods such as baskets, stone and bone tools, beads, bangles, pendants and occasionally animal sacrifices, with more goods left with burials of males. Ornaments of sea shell, limestoneshale overlaid by limestone. Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed of mineral calcite (calcium carbonate). The primary source of this calcite is usually marine organisms. These organisms secrete shells that settle out of t, turquoiseThis article is about the gem. For the colour, see cyan. Turquoise (or turquois is an opaque, blue to green hydrated copper aluminium phosphate mineral according to the chemical formula CuAl(PO)(OH 5HO. It is rare and valuable in finer grades, and has bee, lapis lazuliLapis lazuli is one of the oldest of all gems, with a history of use stretching back 7,000 years. Lapis is a rock and not a mineral because it is made up from various other minerals (to be a true mineral it would have one constituent only). The name deriv, sandstoneSandstone is an arenaceous sedimentary rock composed mainly of feldspar and quartz and varies in colour (in a similar way to sand), through grey, yellow, red, and white. Since sandstones often form highly visible cliffs and other rock formations, certain and polished copperCopper is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. Notable characteristics Copper is a reddish-coloured metal, with a high electrical and thermal conductivity (among pure metals at room temperature, only silver have been found, along with simple figurines of women and animals.
Mehrgarh Period II 5500-4800 BC and Merhgarh Period III 4800-3500 BC were ceramic neolithic (i.e., pottery was now in use) and later chalcolithicThe Chalcolithic (Greek khalkos + lithos 'copper stone') period, also known as the Eneolithic or Copper Age period, is a phase in the development of human culture in which the use of early metal tools appeared alongside the use of stone tools. The period. Much evidence of manufacturing activity has been found and more advanced techniques were used. Glazed faienceFaience or faience is the conventional name in English for fine tin-glazed earthenware on a delicate pale buff body. The name is simply the French name for Faenza, in the Romagna near Ravenna, where a valued painted ware on a clean, opaque pure-white grou beads were produced and terracotta figurines became more detailed. Figurines of females were decorated with paint and had diverse hairstyles and ornaments. The amount of burial goods decreased over time, becoming limited to ornaments and with more goods left with burials of females. The first button seals were produced from terracotta and bone and had geometric designs. Technologies included stone and copper drills, updraft kilns, large pit kilns and copper melting crucibles.