An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c14.s2.17

v1.c14.s2.17

3. Before this drainage system became totally extinct, Stone Age man had appeared in the region. The surface of the gravel ridge between Kathoti and Chajoli in Dt Nagaur is thickly littered with Acheulian tools in the form of handaxes, pebble tools, scrapers, flakes and cores. The extent of the area covered and the density of artefacts make it one of the richest Acheulian sites not merely in any arid region but in any climatic setting in the world. These same factors imply a long duration of occupation and also large populations in the area. Another Acheulian site occurs at Didwana. Here the artefacts occur at several localities embedded in a thick clayey deposit overlain by aeolian sand. There is no gravel in the deposit and the tools are fresh. These localities appear to be camp sites either on the banks of sluggishly flowing channels or along lake shores. The assemblages consist of handaxes, choppers, chopping tools, polyhedrons, scrapers and flakes. The general technological characters of the industries and the total absence of cleavers both at Jayal and Didwana imply an early stage for these industries.