The geological foundations of the Indian subcontinent have played a decisive role in shaping the evolution of human settlements and civilizations from prehistoric times to the present. Geology, through its influence on landforms, mineral resources, soils, water systems, and climatic conditions, created the environmental framework within which human societies emerged, expanded, and transformed. The interaction between geological processes and human adaptation produced diverse regional cultures and settlement patterns, making geology one of the fundamental determinants of India's environmental history. The geological history of India stretches back billions of years, involving the formation of the Peninsular Shield, the Himalayan mountain system, the Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains, and the coastal regions. These geological formations created distinct ecological zones that offered varying opportunities and constraints for human occupation. Early human groups selected habitats based on the availability of water, food resources, suitable terrain, and raw materials, all of which were strongly influenced by geological conditions. The Peninsular Plateau, one of the oldest geological formations in the world, served as an important cradle of prehistoric human activity. Composed largely of ancient igneous and metamorphic rocks, it provided abundant stone resources used for making tools during the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods. Quartzite, chert, basalt, granite, and other hard rocks were widely used for tool manufacture. Archaeological sites such as Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh, Hunsgi in Karnataka, Attirampakkam in Tamil Nadu, and Isampur demonstrate the close relationship between geological formations and early human habitation. The availability of caves and rock shelters in sandstone and granite formations offered secure habitation for prehistoric communities. The famous Bhimbetka rock shelters developed within Vindhyan sandstone formations illustrate how geological structures provided protection against climatic variations while preserving evidence of human occupation over thousands of years. These natural shelters also became centers of artistic expression, as reflected in prehistoric rock paintings. River systems, themselves products of geological evolution, became the