Prehistory and Protohistory in India and Pakistan c7.s21.2

c7.s21.2

On geological grounds both the Nevasian and the Late Sohanian can be placed into the Late or Upper Pleistocene and assigned to the Middle Palaeolithic or Stone Age culture complex. But it is difficult to say on the strength of DE TERRA and PATERSON'S statement that certain flake tools of the Narbada were comparable with those of the Late Sohan, that these two cultures are related or typologically fall within this period, as suggested by ALLCHIN. For very little is known of the Narbada tools mentioned by DE TERRA. He has not illustrated any. Nor anyone among the present writers has handled both. Thus we are not sure of what we are comparing, typologically or stratigraphically. For one thing, though the Late Sohan does contain a fairly good percentage of flakes on prepared cores, still very few points, awls or borers and various types of scrapers reminiscent of the Nevasian or the Peninsular Middle Palaeolithic are seen. However, if we are to depend upon illustrations, among the twelve flakes of Late Sohan A, one may cite Nos. 9 and 11 as scrapers and Nos. 10 and 12 as double hollow scraper and awl respetively. Thus typology is not a good guide in this respect.