The Copper Age was the time immediately after the Neolithic period. By the end of the Neolithic era, people started using weapons made of metal. As a metal, these people used only copper. Till that time people did not know about bronze and iron at all. These people were now living in settlements. Animal husbandry and agriculture were the main sources of their economy. The tools used in agriculture now included stone tools as well as copper tools.

Mehrgarh civilization

Chalcolithic settlements in India have been found in southeast Rajasthan, western Madhya Pradesh, western Maharashtra and southeast India. A similar developed civilization has been found, at a place called Mehrgarh, which became a part of Pakistan after partition.

Time of Mehrgarh civilization

Mehrgarh is a very important place from the archaeological point of view where a lot of evidence related to the Neolithic period has been found. At present, these archaeological sites are in the Kacchi Plains of Balochistan province of Pakistan. Mehrgarh is situated on the banks of the Bolan River in present-day Balochistan.

Mehrgarh civilization is one of the oldest civilizations in the world (about 7,000 BC to 3,300 BC) where remains related to pastoral and agriculture have been found. Evidence from excavations shows that these people knew how to cultivate wheat and barley. Along with this, in animal husbandry, these people used to raise sheep, goats, cows and other animals.

Characteristics and importance of Mehrgarh Civilization

Mehrgarh civilization has an important place in Indian history too. One reason for which is that this civilization also includes the Indian subcontinent in the original cultivation area of ​​wheat and barley. And takes the Indian assessment of the Neolithic age closer to the Neolithic assessment of the world. In world history, this civilization reflects a developed and civilized society of India. The people of Mehrgarh civilization had built houses of bricks like Harappan thousands of years before the Harappan culture. It is from here that we understand the development system of the Indus Valley Civilization. If excavation is done towards this place, then we can gather more information related to Harappa from here.

But unfortunately due to the instability of Pakistan, the oldest civilization of the world has remained neglected till date. If proper excavation of this site is done, then this site can solve many unsolved knots related to human development.

The people of Mehrgarh civilization started making best tools from 6,500 BC. One very interesting thing found in the evidence has caught everyone's attention and that is a drill machine made of copper. This drill machine is similar to the drills of modern dentists. And the most amazing thing is that the evidence of the use of this drill has also been found on some teeth found from Mehrgarh site. Seeing this drill, it seems that early man was also very interested in discovering new metals. Another important item found from the excavation is hone stone, which was used to make sharp metal tools and weapons.

If seen in the context of the Neolithic period, the development of the Chalcolithic civilizations and the Bronze civilizations took place almost simultaneously. There is not much time difference between them.

Other items found from Mehrgarh civilization are weaving baskets, tools and beads which have been found in very large quantities. Some of these beads are also from other civilizations which further indicates that these beads may have been brought either during trade or during migration. Earthen pots, copper tools, weapons and tombs have also been found in excavations in later levels.  In these tombs there are human bodies as well as objects, which are an indication that the people of Mehrgarh were familiar with the early form of religion.

From the excavation of Mehrgarh till now, thousands of evidences have been found from the Neolithic period through the Copper Age to the bronze period. These 8 levels give us the knowledge of three civilizations up to 5,000 years old, which is having many secrets in itself from the Neolithic period around 9,000 BC to the Bronze Age around 4,000 BC. Studying civilizations like Mehrgarh helps us to understand the migratory life that once started from the Forests of Africa. Which reached India and South-East Asia via Europe.