Prehistory and Protohistory in India and Pakistan c8.s14: Langhnaj
Prehistory and Protohistory in India and Pakistan c8.s14
- Language
- English
Contents
- c8.s14.t1 Past Climate — 17 parts
Langhnaj
c8.s14.1
Langhnaj is not a solitary site, an oasis, but one of the hundreds (SUBBARAO lists over 80) in the sandy undulating alluvial plains of Northern and Central Gujarat.⁷² The topography is certainly different from what one sees in Kurnool, in the heart of the old land mass. Here are miles and miles of flat, sandy stretches where suddenly one finds two or three small hillocks of the same material enclose an inundation lake, which keeps water for almost ten months in a year. The tops and slopes of these small hillocks which were lightly wooded are strewn with microliths. These, as well as the river banks, were the resorts of the microlithic people.
c8.s14.2
⁷² For a distribution of these mounds and sites see SANKALIA, Investigations, Map. V Fig. 60A.
c8.s14.3
A series of small excavations were here conducted by the writer between 1941-49, and again by Dr. SUBBARAO in 1953. Stratification is indeed difficult to discern in these masses of wind blown sand. Initially two main layers were detected. The top one of about 3 feet depth and dark brown in colour and a lower one of equal thickness, but of light brown earth and gradually merging with the main deposit below. Later, a more skilful effort showed that there were probably four layers (see Fig. 62a, 63a and pl. V). This was confirmed to some
c8.s14.4
GUJARAT MAP SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF LANGHNAJ MICROLITHIC INDUSTRY
c8.s14.5
Fig. 60A
c8.s14.6
Fig. 62. (a) Section Trench at Langhnaj, Northern Gujarat. (b) Mace-head from Langhnaj.
c8.s14.7
extent when Professor ZEUNER analyzed the soil samples chemically. Briefly, three main layers or cultural zones exist as follows:—
c8.s14.8
| Section as demarcated on 28-1-47 | Zeuner's analysis on 15-1-49 | Cultural Zones |
| Layers 1, 1a, 2, 2a, Dark brown sand | Sand 1 ft.-3 ft. | Priod III. Modern pottery, iron and microliths. |
| Layer 3 upper half | Sand 3 ft.-4 ft. | Period II. Old pottery, microliths and mace-head or ring-stone. |
| Layer 3 lower half | Buried soil. | Period I. Pure microlithic culture with most of the human skeletons and animal remains like rhinoceros. |
| Layer 4 upper half | 4 ft.-5 ft. | |
| Layer 4 lower half and below | Kankar and sands | |
c8.s14.9
Prof. ZEUNER suggests that the sand dunes were formed when at the end of the dry phase (U) a slightly damper phase had followed, which in its turn was succeeded by a drier phase. It was at this phase—sometime in the Late Pleistocene or early Holocene—that "more or less isolated dunes were blown over the land surface." A soil developed on these dunes.
Past Climate
c8.s14.t1.1
The climate was slightly wetter so that large inundation lakes were formed between the hollows of the dunes. A nomadic, hunting people lived on these mounds and along the river banks. The industry⁷² consisting of blades, lunates, trapezes, triangles, scrapers, points (symmetrical and asymmetrical) and a few burins and fluted as well as amorphous cores may be described as geometric, but is on the whole coarse and crude, though the material is chert, agate, carnelian and only occasionally quartz. Heavy tools so far are very few; only one mace-head or weight of digging stick of quartzite was found in a comparatively later deposit (Period II, *Fig. 62b* and *pl. VII*) in the excavation along with a few potsherds. A discovery of unusual interest by ZEUNER⁷³ who examined the huge rhinoceros shouldered blade was the use of this blade as an anvil for manufacturing microliths. No less than eight artificial pits occur on its surface. (*Fig. 65* and *pl. VII*).
c8.s14.t1.2
⁷² ZEUNER, F. E. in *Man*, Vol. LII, 1952, pp. 129-31.
c8.s14.t1.3
⁷³ SUBBARAO, B., *Baroda Through the Ages*, Baroda, 1952, p. 18.
c8.s14.t1.4
With these, particular by asymmetrical points which could be used as barbs and arrowheads the men hunted rhinoceros (*Rhinoceros unicornis* L), hog deer (*Hyelaphus porcimus* Zimm), Indian buffalo, Nilgai, Antelope (*Boselaphus tragocamelus* Pall), Black Buck (*Antelope Cervicapra* Linn and dog. All these, including the dog and the buffalo, according to Prof. ZEUNER's study seem to be wild. The fauna is thus of games, and the people, primarily hunters and fishers (as besides animal bones, remains of fish vertebra and tortoise shell have been found). Shells of dentalium and of an unidentified material but of flat disc shape were used as decoration. (*Fig. 65* and *pl. VII*).
c8.s14.t1.5
Along with microliths and a large number of bones and a negligible quantity of pottery, about 13 human skeletons have so far been found. These are of a fairly tall, thin, dolicocephalic people, with a slight prognathism.
c8.s14.t1.6
In spite of ZEUNER's preliminary geochronological studies and of animal remains, no absolute date can be had for the Langhnaj culture. SUBBARAO's excavation at Baroda⁷⁴ indicate an upper limit, not later than 500 B.C. Since microliths of Langhnaj type were also found in the lowest stratum of river gravel below the earliest deposit of the Indus Civilization at Rangpur⁷⁵ and also at Rojadi in Saurashtra it may also be argued that the Langhnaj Microlithic Industry is at least of equal antiquity if not still older, that is earlier than 2500 B.C.
c8.s14.t1.7
⁷⁴ RAO, S. R., in *I.A.R.*, 1953-54, p. 7.
c8.s14.t1.8
Fig. 55A. Microliths from Langhnaj.
c8.s14.t1.9
Fig. 65A
c8.s14.t1.10
This figure illustrates all the principal types of microliths found in the excavations at Langhnaj.
c8.s14.t1.11
| 1-7 | Different types of Triangles |
| 8-11 | Trapezes |
| 12-17 | Lunates and asymmetrical points |
| 18, 30-31 | Borers or Awls |
| 19-20 | Notched and partly retouched flake, which might have been used as an arrowhead |
| 21-25 | Partly bluntedback blades—retouched along the lower end only, and on the obliquely pointed side |
| 26-27 | Straight bluntedback and retouched edge |
| 28-29 | Blunted back and retouched edges giving a dull point |
| 32-34 | Burins (No. 33 from Akhaj) |
| 35-41 | Different types of Scrapers |
| 42-45 | Ordinary and fluted cores |
| 46-47 | Rubbers of haematite |
c8.s14.t1.12
A further indication of the age of the culture is given by the skeletons and beads of dentalium shells. To Dr. (Mrs.) KARVE certain physical features looked Negroid and she thought of Egyptian affinities. Dr. MCCOWN who had worked on the Mt. Carmel skeletons with Sir ARTHUR KEITH thought that the skeletons might well be compared with the Natufian of Palestine. Of course, this view conveyed to the writer orally by Dr. MCCOWN, when he visited India in 1958 and stayed at the Deccan College cannot be taken seriously until and unless a detailed comparison is attempted. However, Dr. (Mrs.) ERHARDT of Tübingen University after a very detailed and careful study of the 13 skeletons (including the one found by Dr. SUBBARAO in 1953) concludes⁷⁵ᵃ:
c8.s14.t1.13
Thus, if one compares the single traits and the combinations of traits with contemporary finds from similar areas, the result is small satisfaction. The small group of Langhnaj skeletons, which is, moreover, not unified should not mislead us into drawing any vast conclusions. According to my interpretation, from the available material, the Langhnaj skeletons mainly indicate traits which are characteristic for Mediterranids and Veddids, but which could also include other races.
c8.s14.t1.14
In this connexion it is necessary to draw attention to the tusk-shaped dentalium shell beads which served as decoration for the body both at Langhnaj and at Mt. Carmel and Khirokitin in Cyprus.⁷⁶ The analogy may be regarded as quite fortuitous and without significance. However, there is no doubt that the dentalium shell had to be imported at Langhnaj from the sea coast and this distance is considerable, even if the nearest source be the Gulf of Cambay or the Arabian Sea.
c8.s14.t1.15
75a From an unpublished report.
c8.s14.t1.16
⁷⁶ These are considered by JAMES MELLAART in (Dawn of Civilisation, p. 44) as typical of the period (c. 6000 B.C.).
c8.s14.t1.17
Though we may try to arrive at the date of the Langhnaj Microlithic Culture in this way, still until we know the exact nature of the microliths in the other two sub-divisions of Gujarat and their relation to the ecological setting, our conclusions must remain most tentative. Excavations of pure microlithic sites in these divisions or a much more extensive digging of microlithic levels in sites like Rangpur is necessary for a fuller knowledge. Langhnaj has shown us what promising field is there for knowing the nature of the primitive population of Northern Gujarat.