The Personality of India: Pre- and Proto-historic Foundation of India and Pakistan c13.s3.t1.43

c13.s3.t1.43

Finally a few general observations about the Indian Microlithic Industry may be made to focus the attention of the workers. Microliths, as such, have a wide distribution in the time and space all over the Old World. But certain technological difference may be noted. Zeuner has pointed out how the asymmetrical points common in various parts of India are "one of the few items that distinguish the Indian microlithic 'hunting' industries from the Wilton of South Africa "58. Similarly bi-facial retouch and bi-facial points are very rare—almost absent—in the Indian industries. But they are very common in Africa, Ceylon and Australia. A few have been reported by Mrs. Allchin from the *teri* sites at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula, close to Ceylon. Finally, it is now agreed by the archaeologists all over, that the so-called " Micro-burin " is the by-product of the blade, lunate and trapeze industries by the use of the technique of preparing a notch and twisting. The absence of micro-burins in India is one of the most striking features and the few that are recorded are infinitesimally small when compared to the totals and suggest an accidental origin. Hence does it mean again a different technological tradition? The writer had the privilege of examining most of the collections from Gujarat made during the last decade, and the entire collection of Foote, lying at Madras and these inferences are based on it. Yet, there is no reason for complacency and further studies are a great desideratum.