Neolithic and tribal cultures of Himalayan region : an ethno-archaeological approach

The present volume makes an attempt of reconstructing the life ways of the first settled communities of Himalayan region. The area selected for the study is Northern and North-eastern part of the country, which are situated at the two distinct ends of Himalayan region. Although, these are parts of similar geological formations but represent different types of ecology and environment. Both archaeological and ethnographic data of each region point towards a specific cultural pattern which is intensively controlled by the local ecology and environment. For arguing the possible ways of life of Neolithic folk of these regions the two set of data archaeological and ethnographic (tribes practicing pastoralism and incipient farming) are analyzed and compared. On account of Kashmir pastoral tribes, the Neolithic remains of Kashmir Valley have been reconstructed while for North-Eastern region, the tribes practicing shifting cultivation provide logical model for reconstruction of Neolithic ways of life of North-eastern region.