An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s2.t3: 4.2.4 Chota Nagpur region, e. region and n.-e. Deccan
An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s2.t3
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4.2.4 Chota Nagpur region, e. region and n.-e. Deccan
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Except for Orissa, this region is comparatively less explored and finds from Assam, Bihar, and Bengal are sporadic in nature. In the Chota Nagpur plateau implements of the Acheulian facies are reported from Dts Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Monghyr, Gaya, Purulia and Singhbhum. Among these only the Singhbhum region has been well investigated. Here, in the valleys of the Subarnarekha and Koel, 'chopper-biface' tradition is reported from CHANDIL, CHAIBASA, GHATSILA and SINI. The collection has been divided within four techno-typological evolutionary stages, which is said to be supported by stratigraphic evidence. According to Ghosh, 1970, these are: (1) Abbevillian, obtained from the junction of mottled clay and the overlying conglomerate; (2) Acheulian I, coming from the conglomerated deposit; (3) Acheulian II, associated with the Lower clay; and (4) Acheulian III, found in the loose gravel. Thus the handaxe-cleaver element gradually gains refinement in the group.
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In Bihar the hilly tracts of Dts Gaya and Monghyr which are in fact the extension of the Chota Nagpur plateau, were occupied by the Acheulian man. Noteworthy discoveries in this regard come from the Jethian valley near Rajgir (Narain, 1969) and BHIMBANDH near Monghyr (*IAR 1960-1*, pp. 5-6; *1965-6*, pp. 7-8). Similarly in the hilly regions of Dts Bankura and Purulia Acheulian tools occur. An evolved Acheulian industry comes from SUSUNIA in Dt Midnapur (*IAR 1965-6*, pp. 56-7).
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Investigations relating to Palaeolithic remains in Orissa have been confined mostly to the n. part of the state, which includes Dts Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Sundargarh and Sambalpur. In Mayurbhanj, Bose and Sen, 1948, found three techno-typological stages of the Lower Palaeolithic culture. The first stage, of the crudest implements, comprises massive choppers and is succeeded in the next stage by a crude biface industry, wherein unprepared flakes are also noticed. The third stage is represented by fine bifaces, crude cleavers and a limited number of scrapers. Investigations by Mohapatra, 1962, were confined to the other adjoining Dts of Orissa, where evidence for three stages of Acheulian facies was also recorded. According to him the earliest phase of Bose and Sen could not be noticed, and the three evolutionary stages are part of the Acheulian complex.
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The extension of the Indian Acheulian complex goes as far as the Garo Hills in Assam, where the cemented gravel of the Waran has revealed handaxes, cleavers and choppers made on dolerite lumps. In the Daphabum area of Dt Lohit a set of three terraces is formed by the Kamlong and Telly rivers, which have revealed the chopper, chopping tool, proto-handaxe, cleaver, ovate, point, scraper and flake. The assemblage is of a mixed nature (Bopardikar, 1972).
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Bopardikar, B.P., 1972, in *Arch. Congress & Seminar Papers*, Nagpur, pp. 1-8. Bose, N.K. & Sen, D., 1948, *Excavation in Mayurbhanj*, Calcutta. Ghosh, A.K., 1970, in *Trans-American Philosophical Soc.*, N.S., 60. Mohapatra, G.C., 1962, *Stone Age Cultures of Orissa*, Poona. Narain, Lala A., 1969, in *Indian Arch. Conf.*, Patna (cyclostyled paper). Sharma, T.C., 1972, "Stone Age Cultures of Garo Hills", unpublished thesis, Gauhati. For sites see respective entries in vol. II.—V. JAYASWAL