The document discusses primitive religion based on archaeological evidence from various prehistoric periods in India. It describes features of primitive religions such as nature worship without distinguishing natural and supernatural forces, belief in anthropomorphic beings, and pragmatic and utilitarian concepts. The document outlines sources of evidence for primitive religion including figurines, rock art, burials and pottery. It provides examples of archaeological findings from different prehistoric periods in India that provide insight into primitive religious practices such as mother goddess figurines, rock art, burial goods and painted designs on pottery.

1. BA III sem
Unit : Primitive Religion
By: Prachi Virag Sontakke

2. Sources
• Archaeological remains.
• Figurines
• Rock art
• Burials
• Pottery
• Etc

3. Features
• Governed by nature worship.
• No difference between natural and supernatural.
• Personification of natural forces: animistic
• Belief in anthropomorphic beings
• Pragmatic & Utilitarian in concept: Neither didactic nor
moralistic.
• Element of fear.
• Magic, talisman and charms.
• ‘This worldly’ in orientation: specific details about after life
beliefs difficult to infer.
• Difficult to separate religion from society.
• Nature of religion conditioned by need of culture.

4. Antiquity
• Palaeolithic period: Lower, Middle, Upper.
• Mesolithic period.
• Neolithic period.
• Chalcolithic period.

5. Palaeolithic period
• Not much information from Lower
Palaeolithic period.
• Middle Palaeolithic period:
• Upper Palaeolithic Peiod:
Mother goddesses, hunt magic,
amulets, rock art, burials.

6. Socio-religious rituals??

7. Hunt magic??

8. Mother Goddess figurines

9. Mother Goddess worship

10. Burials

11. Amulets & Magic

12. Indian scenario
Baghor Upper Palaeolithic shrine Belan valley mother goddess?

13. Mesolithic period: Indian evidence
• Lekhahiya: Special burial goods-buffalo ribs, deer
horns & mollusk shell.
• Sarai Nahar Rai: Particular type of shell in burials.
• Damdama: Ivory pendent
• Mahadaha: Bone ring necklace.
• Chopani Mando & Mahadaha: Bone drinking
vessel.

14. Rock art & Petroglyphs

15. Neolithic -Chalcolithic
• Burials & burial goods: Mehargarh
• Figurines: Mother Goddess near
pillars in Nagda.
• Painted designs:makar depiction on
storage jars from Malwa

16. Mehargarh Fertility/Mother Goddess?