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History
of
Goa
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The history
of
Goa dates
back
to prehistoric
times,
though
the
present-day state of Goa was
only
established
as
recently
as
1987.[1] In
spite
of
being India's
smallest
state
by
area,
Goa's
history
is
both
long
and
diverse.
It
shares
a
lot
of
similarities
with Indian
history,
especially
with
regard
to colonial
influences and
a multi-cultural
aesthetic.
The Usgalimal
rock
engravings,
belonging
to
the upper
paleolithic or mesolithic periods,
exhibit
some
of
the
earliest
traces
of
human
settlement
in
India.
The Mauryan and Satavahana Empires
ruled
modern-day
Goa
during
the
Iron
Age.
During
the
medieval
period,
Goa
was
ruled
by
the Kadamba
kingdom, Vijayanagara
Empire, Bahmani
Sultanate and Bijapur
Sultanate.
It
was
ruled
by
the
Kadamba
dynasty
from
the
2nd
century
CE
to
1312
and
by
Muslims
of
the
Deccan
from
1312
to
1367.
The
city
was
then
annexed
by
the
Hindu
kingdom
of
Vijayanagar
and
was
later
conquered
by
the
Bahmanī
sultanate,
which
founded
Old
Goa
on
the
island
in
1440.[2]
The
Portuguese invaded
Goa
in
1510,
defeating
the Bijapur
Sultanate.
The
Portuguese
rule
lasted
for
about
450
years,
and
heavily
influenced
Goan culture, cuisine,
and
architecture.
In
1961,
India invaded
and
annexed
Goa after
a
36-hour
battle.
The
region
was
incorporated
as
a
union
territory
of Goa,
Daman
and
Diu.
In
1987,
Goa
was
granted
statehood.
Goa
has
one
of
the
highest GDP
per
capita and Human
Development
Index among
Indian
states.
Earliest
historyEdit
There
is
evidence
of
the tectonic origins
of
Goa
dating
back
to
10,000
BC.[3] Further,
evidence
of
human
occupation
of
Goa
dates
back
at
least
to
the Lower
Paleolithic
Age,
indicated
by
the
archaeological
findings
of Acheulean bifaces in
the Mandovi-Zuari basin.[4] However,
evidence
suggesting
the
region's
ancient
foundation
is
obscured
by
the legend of
Goa's
creation
by
the Hindu
sage Parashurama.[3]
Geological
originsEdit
Some
parts
of
present-day
Goa
appear
to
have
been uplifted from
the
sea
due
to
geological
tectonic
plate
movement.
There
is
evidence
to
support
this
theory
as
indicated
by
the
presence
of marine
fossils,
buried
seashells,
and
other
features
of
reclaimed topography in
the
coastal
belt.[3] The
evidence
provided
by
the
conch
shells
at
Surla
village,
fossilized
marine
conch
shells
discovered
in
1863,
petrified
roots,[clarify] fossilized
branches
have
been
found
later
in
many
villages
on
the
foothills
of
the Sahyadri dating
back
more
than
10,000
BC.
Thus
the
geologists
concluded
that
Goa
has
risen
from
the
seabed
as
a
result
of
violence tectonic
movements.
At
the
decline
of
the
intensity
of pluviation in
the
last Pleistocenic
age around
10000
BC,
the
bottom
of Deccan
plateau was
lifted
up
and
out
of
sea-waters
by
the
tectonic
movements,
formed
the
West-coast
of
India,
Goa
being
a
part
thereof.[5]
PrehistoryEdit
Paleolithic
and
Mesolithic
eraEdit
Until
1993
the
existence
of humans in
Goa
during
the Paleolithic and Mesolithic period
was
highly
debated.
The
discovery
of rock
art engravings
on
lateritic
platforms
and
granite
boulders
from Usgalimal on
the
banks
of
west-flowing
river Kushavati
River,
has
shed
light
on
the prehistory of
Goa.[6] The
rock
shelter
at
Usgalimal
has
enough
space
for
25
to
30
people.
The
perennial
stream
in
the
vicinity
which
might
have
served Stone
Age man
for
centuries
as
a
source
of
water.[7] An anthropomorphic figure
of Mother
goddess and
tectiforms
resembling
tree-like
motifs
have
been
found.[7] This
site
was
discovered
by Dr
P.P.Shirodkar.
Exploration
of
several
Mesolithic
sites
of
the Mandovi-Zuari basin,
at
other
sites
such
as Keri, Thane, Anjuna, Mauxim, Kazur in Quepem, Virdi,
has
led
to
the
discovery
of
several
scrapers,
points,
bores,
cones,
etc.
A
hand axe has
also
been
found
at
Usgalimal.[8] Further unifacial choppers
were
recovered
on
a
flat-based
pebble
of
quartzite
from
a
pebble
conglomerate
at Shigaon on
the Dudhsagar
River.[9] Shirodakar
made
a
detailed
study
of
the
rock
engravings
and
dated
them
to Upper
paleolithic and
Mesolithic
pha
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