RAS question
Bagor in Rajasthan is primarily known as a site of which period?
Correct answer: (A) Mesolithic.
Bagor in Rajasthan is primarily known as a Mesolithic site on the Kothari river in Bhilwara district.
Explanation
Bagor is identified with the Mesolithic because its archaeological record is dominated by microlithic tools and an early occupation phase based on hunting, gathering and herding. The eGyanKosh unit lists Bagor among excavated Mesolithic sites in Rajasthan and locates it on the left bank of the Kothari river, about 25 km west of Bhilwara. It records that V.N. Misra excavated the site from 1973 to 1977 and that Phase I contained abundant microliths and animal remains. Evidence of both wild and domesticated species appears from the beginning, making Bagor important for early animal domestication evidence in the subcontinent.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Neolithic is not the best classification for Bagor because Bagor belongs to Mesolithic cultures, while key Neolithic examples include Burzahom, Chirand and Mehrgarh.
- (C) Palaeolithic is too early for the primary identity tested here: Bagor is a Mesolithic site, whereas Bhimbetka and Attirampakkam belong to Palaeolithic contexts.
- (D) Chalcolithic does not fit Bagor's primary label because Bagor centres on microliths and Mesolithic occupation, while Ahar, Gilund and Kayatha are typical Chalcolithic sites.
Concept
This tests the mapping of Rajasthan's prehistoric sites to cultural periods, especially Mesolithic microlithic settlements. RAS repeats such questions because site-period-location links are a compact way to assess archaeology basics.