Which of the following statements is true regarding Chalcolithic burial practices in India?
1. In Maharashtra, burials were oriented in the north-south direction.
2. In South India, burials were oriented in the east-west direction.
3. In West Bengal, burial after cremation was common.
4. All burials in Chalcolithic India were uniform.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer
1, 2, and 3 only
Explanation
During the Chalcolithic period (Copper-Stone Age), there were profound differences and unique characteristics in burial practices across different regions of India:
Statement 1 is correct because in the Jorwe culture of Maharashtra (such as Inamgaon, Chandoli, and Daimabad), people buried their dead under the floors of their houses in a north-south direction. A unique tradition of chopping off the feet of adults was also observed here.
Statement 2 is correct because, in contrast, the Chalcolithic and Neolithic-Chalcolithic settlements of South India primarily practiced burying the dead in an east-west direction.
Statement 3 is also correct because at Chalcolithic sites in West Bengal (such as Pandu Rajar Dhibi and Bharatpur), fractional burial and burying the remaining bones after cremation in urns was quite common.
Statement 4 is completely incorrect because there was no uniform burial method throughout Chalcolithic India. Diverse methods such as varying burial directions, urn burials, complete burials, and cremation co-existed across different cultures and geographical regions.
Key Points
The biggest hallmark of Chalcolithic settlements was that there was no separate cemetery for the dead; instead, they were buried directly inside the houses beneath the floors. The bodies of children were usually placed in two urns joined mouth-to-mouth and buried horizontally under the floor.
Additional Facts
Pottery (especially Black-and-Red ware) and copper beads or tools were placed with the dead inside the graves, reflecting their belief in life after death. Furthermore, a clear difference is visible in the quantity and preciousness of materials found in various graves, which indicates that social and economic inequality (social stratification) had already begun in the Chalcolithic society of that time.
Important Questions and Answers
Question: In which direction were the bodies of the deceased buried at Chalcolithic sites in Maharashtra, such as Inamgaon?
Answer: North-South direction.
Question: In which region or state of the Chalcolithic period have evidences of burying bones after cremation been found?
Answer: West Bengal.