Technology of large flake acheulean at lalitpur, central india

Identifier:  TDX:1986

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX1986

Authors:  Agarwal, Neetu

Abstract:
The present thesis attempts to study the Acheulean at Lalitpur, Central India in terms of site context, formation processes and technological organization employed by the hominins. It attempts to understand the characteristic features of the Acheulean technological organization at the site of Lalitpur. This has been done through the examination of the entire assemblage from the site and not just focusing on bifaces as the ‘type fossil’ of the Acheulean as has traditionally been done. For this purpose, the chaîne opératoire approach has been used to understand the entire technological organization from raw material procurement, to core reduction, blank production, modification into tools, use, resharpening, discard and alteration subject to post-depositional processes. Quantitative attributes have also been recorded to enable comparisons. Since the assemblage is recovered from near surface contexts, detailed studies of site context and formation processes were also undertaken to assess the integrity of the assemblage. Raw material has often been considered as an important factor affecting stone tools, particularly since the assemblage is predominantly made on granite, therefore detailed raw material studies were carried out. Finally the Acheulean at Lalitpur was compared it with other well studied assemblages in India, Africa and Europe to place the Indian Acheulean in global context The study of the technological organization of the Acheulean hominins at Lalitpur has helped in deriving a comprehensive picture of the stone tool technological repertoire of the Acheulean hominins. It has helped redefine the Indian Acheulean and place it in global context. Further it has helped in clarifying the concept of ‘Large Flake Acheulean’ and the behavioural implications of this technology. It has also highlighted the importance of ‘surface’ sites in the study of the Lower Palaeolithic, particularly in India and pointed out the importance of site formation studies in understanding the nature of Palaeolithic sites.