Handaxe Assemblages from the Didwana region, Thar Desert, India: A Metrical Analysis.
- 1 January 1986
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society
- Vol. 52 (1) , 189-214
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s0079497x00006654
Abstract
The Didwana region has preserved lower palaeolithic artefacts in primary and semi-primary contexts. On the basis of geological stratigraphy of aeolian and playa sediments, artefacts occurring in a stratified context have been dated to the Middle Pleistocene. In order to work out technological evolutionary trends of the acheulian culture in this region, 301 handaxes from 10 localities have been studied following Roe's methodology, with some additional attributes. Some differences in size, shape and refinement are apparent between the collections. Statistics, diagrams, factor and cluster analyses suggest a technological evolution within the assemblages and therefore indicate the chronology of the sites. Compared with those of other known Indian sites, these handaxes may correspond to cultural stages ranging between early acheulian and very late acheulian or even early middle palaeolithic.Keywords
This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- Geochronology of Palaeolithic cultures in the Hiran Valley, Saurashtra, IndiaJournal of Archaeological Science, 1986
- British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Handaxe GroupsProceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 1969
- The British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic: Some Problems, Methods of Study and Preliminary ResultsProceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 1964