HISTORY-STONE AGE

CAVEMEN

It is interesting to imagine, how our ancestors lived in caves, perhaps millions of years ago.

Caves are natural formations in the rock system of mountains, formed by the action of the weather and rain water, dissolving minerals, which get carried away to the sea. Ellora caves are the best example. A number of people may live there, protected from the Sun and rain. They were naked. They did not know any language; they could make sounds like animals or clap or whistle. The lived by hunting. They may surround an  animal , like the cow or deer and kill them, by hitting hard on the head or back. Stones were the only tools known and hence the name stone age. After killing it, and skinning, the raw flesh was bitten off and chewed well for minutes, before swallowing it. Children were fed mother’s milk, till they developed teeth. Our canine teeth may be longer at that time. The process of hunting, killing and eating may take the whole day.

Have you thought of the long hair we have? Well, at that time, it was protection against rain and Sun, like a turban. Now, it is only an attraction for women. Lord Shiva is an example of the cave man. He rode a bull; well, the caveman too must have used this type of vehicle.

At that time, woman was the head of the family, like the queen bee. All women  will go on producing children ; rate of death among children, may also be high. The discovery of fire, in cooking flesh made a big change. Fire can be made, by hard stone hitting another stone, producing sparks. This method is used in making fire, in yagam by Namboodiris. Here too, the wife of the person doing yagam has a venerable status. The skinning of the animal is done by stones. Flesh is eaten by Namboodiris, who will be excommunicated, if meat is eaten in a hotel!

Use of clay was made, after a long time, in making balls used as bricks in making houses, marking the end of caveman. In the caves, making  cartoons of men an animals began, as also, painting these, with the colours, obtained from leaves and flowers.