✅Debate on function of Pit Dwellings ( Based on Research Paper published in 2023)
📌Introduction:
Pits discovered at sites like Burzahom, Gufkral, and Swat Valley have long been considered Neolithic dwellings due to findings of stone tools, potsherds, hearths, and other artifacts indicative of human habitation. However, a debate has arisen regarding the true function of these pits, with some proposing they were not dwellings but rather served another purpose.
📌Body:
R.A.E. Conningham and T.L. Sutherland challenge the traditional interpretation, suggesting that the smoke produced in these pits, when fires were lit, made them unsuitable for human habitation. They compare these pits to British Iron Age sites where similar structures were used for underground grain storage. Despite this, evidence supporting their use as dwellings is compelling. Firstly, these pits date back to the Aceramic phase, a time before agriculture, implying they were not initially intended for grain storage. Additionally, the presence of post holes around the pits indicates the likelihood of superstructures being built over them, further supporting their use as living spaces.
📌Conclusion:
While the debate continues, the preponderance of evidence leans towards these pits at Burzahom, Gufkral, and Swat Valley serving as Neolithic dwellings rather than solely grain storage units. The artifacts found, the timing of their existence, and the presence of structures around them collectively suggest that these pits were integral to the living arrangements of ancient communities during that era.
❗️what makes your answer different ? How will you be able to score more compared to others ?
Adding in new perspective – most of the students write it as just used for dwellings, however who presents other view with the help of the Anthropologists works will be able to score better and this is already establised.