Final answer:
The reliance on plants as a source of food at the Mesolithic sites of the Ganga Plain is suggested by the recovery of charred plant remains. The tools used to process these plants were typically made of organic materials that have not preserved well in the archaeological record. This, along with dental decay evidence, suggest a diet rich in plant-based foods.
Step-by-step explanation:
The evidence suggesting reliance on plants as a source of food at Mesolithic sites of the Ganga Plain is the recovery of charred plant remains. These remains provide substantial evidence that early humans were dependent on a wide variety of plant species for sustenance. This, along with the presence of certain types of stone tools, supports the hypothesis of humans using plant resources extensively.
Critically, the tools required to process plant materials would typically be made of organic materials, and thus would not be preserved in the archaeological record. But the presence of charred plant remains gives us insight into the plant-oriented diet of the people. Moreover, studying these remains can help anthropologists understand many aspects of human existence and culture, such as daily life, food exchange and preparation, seasonal activities, diet and health, cultural traditions and preferences.
Additionally, dental and skeletal studies provide supporting evidence for such a diet. For instance, the accelerated rate of dental decay during this period, often a consequence of the carbohydrate-rich plant-based diet, is an evidence of dependence on plant foods.
Learn more about Mesolithic diet