Mesolithic health and subsistence at Langhnaj and Mahadaha, India

Abstract

The late Mesolithic period in India saw the emergence of agriculture in the Harappan civilization. From here agriculture spread east and south replacing hunting and gathering. Health throughout the world changed as agriculture was adopted, which can be seen in human skeletal remains. Langhnaj and Mahadaha are two of these late Mesolithic hunting and gathering sites. Langhnaj is located in western India within the area the Harappan civilization controlled and had access to domesticated food. Mahadaha is located in eastern India in an area with no evidence of agriculture. From the human remains, more specifically the attributes of the dentition, this study will try to determine whether there was a difference in health between these sites.