The Personality of India: Pre- and Proto-historic Foundation of India and Pakistan c14.s1.t6: Lower Krishna-Godavary basins (Andhra-Karnatak areas)
The Personality of India: Pre- and Proto-historic Foundation of India and Pakistan c14.s1.t6
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Lower Krishna-Godavary basins (Andhra-Karnatak areas)
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When we leave the Trap area and march southwards and eastwards into the Gneissic and Metamorphic areas of Central Deccan, we find ourselves in a different setting altogether. We have already seen how this area sheltered large Neolithic communities. By now, we are quite familiar with the Proto-historic chalcolithic communities in Malwa and Northern Deccan. The stratigraphic evidence at Sanganakallu for the intrusion of the Black-on-Red painted pottery into a pure Neolithic culture, has already been discussed. Besides, we can also demonstrate the appearance of the neat blade industry associated with it. At Brahmagiri, very few cores have been found, but a crested flake, providing evidence of its technique of manufacture was found.¹ At Sanganakallu, a few cores have been found, but a fresh examination of the specimens is needed.² At Maski also this technique occurs. Shri B. K. Thapar has in a communication confirmed the use of the technique of crested guiding ridges. The fine chert found in the Kaladgi limestone series gave an opportunity for these Proto-historic people to make long blades and blade flakes, usually described as 'ribbon flakes'. From the former collections from Maski, the author noticed further evidence of this technique from cores. (Nos. M. 3247-52 F, M. 3245-52 F and 3248-52 F). Since this technique of blade production is invariably associated with the Black-on-Red painted pottery tradition,³ there is no doubt that the metals (copper and bronze) infiltrated slowly into a predominately Neolithic culture (Fig. 21). On account of the scarcity of these metals, however, the earlier polished stone axes also continued to be used. This neat overlap of cultures and their transition is amply borne out by the materials from Brahmagiri, Sanganakallu, Piklihal and Maski.
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¹ WHEELER, 1947, Pl. CXIV, 7 and Fig. 34. 7.
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² SUBBARAO, 1948, Pl. XXV, 3.
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³ SUBBARAO, B., "Chalcolithic Blade Industry of Maheshwar and a note on the history of the technique", *Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute*, XVII, 1956.