Guwahati: An archaeological expedition in eastern Nagaland has pushed back the history of human habitation in the state, with researchers uncovering evidence that prehistoric communities occupied caves and rockshelters in present-day Noklak district nearly 3,500 years ago.
The discoveries, made in the limestone caves of the Naga Hills Ophiolite Belt, include ancient pottery, stone tools, hearths and carbonised grains, providing rare scientific evidence of how some of the earliest inhabitants of the region lived, farmed and adapted to the rugged Indo-Myanmar frontier.
The findings emerged from the first systematic archaeological exploration of the cave systems in Chiphur, undertaken in March by a joint team from Nagaland University’s Department of History & Archaeology and the Nagaland Department of Art & Culture.
The expedition was led by Tiatoshi Jamir and included Heme Lamthaiu, Limasanen Longkumer, Khumeng T. (Assistant Research Officer), Robinson Huidrom and Victoria Leyri of the University of Delhi.
Working with the Chiphur Village Council, the team trekked across the limestone karst landscape to identify and document five caves and four rockshelters, many of which had never been investigated archaeologically.
Excavations at selected sites yielded a rich assemblage of cord-marked pottery, ground stone implements, ancient hearths, charred grains of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and Job’s tears (Coix species), along with the remains of wild animals, suggesting that the occupants practised a mixed economy of cultivation and hunting.
The age of the sites was established through Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) dating conducted by Beta Analytic Laboratory, Florida, USA.
The results showed that the Leilo Kaa rockshelter dates back about 3,500 years, while the Kathso Kaa cave was occupied around 1,000 years ago, indicating that these natural shelters were used across different cultural periods, from prehistory into the historical era.
Archaeologists say the discoveries strengthen the view that Northeast India served as an important route for prehistoric human movement between South and Southeast Asia.
The Naga Hills Ophiolite Belt and the adjoining Naga Metamorphic Complex, stretching towards the Indo-Myanmar ranges, are increasingly emerging as key landscapes for understanding the region’s ancient past.
Beyond establishing a timeline for human occupation, the findings provide clues to prehistoric food habits, farming practices, ceramic traditions, stone tool technology and the broader cultural lifeways of communities that once inhabited the hills.
Researchers believe continued scientific investigations of Nagaland’s caves could significantly reshape the understanding of early human settlement and agricultural development in Northeast India.
The artefacts recovered during the expedition are expected to go on public display at an exhibition jointly organised by the State Museum, Department of Art & Culture, and Nagaland University later this October.