The correct option is (a).
Explanation
The transition to a settled life, often referred to as the Neolithic Revolution, marked a fundamental shift from a nomadic hunting-gathering lifestyle to food production, animal husbandry, and sedentary living.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Correct: As settled life developed, the cultivation of crops provided raw materials for textiles. Archaeological evidence, such as that from Mehrgarh, indicates that people began growing cotton and weaving cloth during this period.
- Statement 2 is Correct: The production of surplus grains like wheat and rice necessitated vessels for storage and cooking. Consequently, people began manufacturing earthen pots, which were either hand-made or wheel-turned and baked in fire, to cook food and store agricultural produce.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: The introduction of Neolithic tools, such as polished stone axes (celts), did not result in the complete abandonment of earlier tool types. Microliths and bone tools continued to be utilized alongside new implements, reflecting a continuity of technological traditions rather than an abrupt replacement.
- Statement 4 is Incorrect: The transition to farming was a gradual process that occurred at different times in different parts of the subcontinent. For example, early farming at Mehrgarh dates to approximately 7000 BCE, while Neolithic cultures in South India and Eastern India emerged significantly later (c. 2500 BCE onwards).
Key Takeaway:
The Neolithic transition introduced agriculture, pottery, and weaving, but it was a regionally asynchronous process that supplemented rather than immediately replaced all pre-existing technologies.