Prehistory and Protohistory in India and Pakistan c8.s4: Microliths
Prehistory and Protohistory in India and Pakistan c8.s4
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Microliths
c8.s4.1
The microliths usually comprise a fluted core from which a large number of parallel-sided flakes have been taken out. Often this core is not so regularly fluted, but irregular and a close examination of it will show that the flakes have been removed from several sides called technically "platforms."
c8.s4.2
So a site like Langhnaj may give fully finished fluted cores and irregular cores as well. The flakes removed from these are comparatively small, not more than an inch or an inch-and-a-half and the one criterion to judge whether these are tools intentionally made by man is that they should be retouched by secondary working either on one edge or both the edges. It may be that these simple flakes, because of the sharp edges, were utilized by man. But there is no evidence with us to say that these were intended by man and hence retouch is an essential guide for defining a microlith.
c8.s4.3
Normally microliths comprise the following: cores, fluted and irregular with many platforms; parallel-sided flakes or blades; scrapers of many types—side, hollow, steep, round etc. according to the nature of the re-touch on the tool; triangles—scalene, equilateral, isosceles,—trapeze, burunates or crescents. The last two may be retouched either on the curved (convex) back or on the chord sides, but rarely on both. It has been shown by studies in England that these omnibus group may be divided into (1) Geometric microliths comprising mainly triangles, trapeze etc. and (2) non-geometric. Stratigraphically, the latter precedes the former in some of the type sites in Europe as well as in Africa.
c8.s4.4
A further distinction is sought to be made by the study of the tool types as mentioned above into microliths used for hunting, for fishing, or for agricultural purposes or for all together. With this introduction the important sites where microliths have been found in excavations or closely observed conditions have been dealt with here.