Neolithic Culture of Northeast India: A Recent Perspective on the Origins of Pottery and Agriculture

Abstract

Northeast India is a lesser-known area for archaeological research; however it will be discussed here in order to show the importance and potential for Neolithic research. Being a contact zone of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asian countries, the region has a great diversity of cultural material dating from prehistoric times. Comparatively well-documented Neolithic cultural material is still described in a classificatory manner, which makes it further impossible to explain the basic terminological issue of Neolithic culture, which was the new way of life in the Prehistoric scenario. A fresh approach with archaeological, linguistic and ethnographic evidence is adapted and applied in order to understand the relevance of Northeast India, commonly known as the Seven Sisters, to early origins of pottery and agriculture in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. The archaeological comparison is based on three issues: viz. cord-impressed pottery, shouldered celt, and rice agriculture, which aim to synthesize evidence from different neighbouring areas to understand what they have in common and to provide clues for further research.