An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s6.t4.4

v1.c9.s6.t4.4

In Nagaland most of the surface finds are from the areas inhabited by the Sema and Lhota Nagas, some of the sites being ROKIMI, KARAMI, SIROMI, LAZIMI, ITUMI and LOKHIMI. The tools have some regional peculiarities. The tool-making rock is greenstone (a variety of diorite), a fine-grained tough rock, not lending to flaking. The tools are therefore shaped by pecking and the edges are prepared by grinding. Other rocks like shale, slate, sandstone and jadeite are sparingly used, the last being not available locally, having probably been obtained from upper Burma and s. China. The commonest tool type is the rounded shouldered to quasi-tanged axe. The other common type is the triangular axe, similar to the pointed-butt axe of s. India. Quadrangular axes and adzes are rare in this area (Hutton, 1928; Dani, 1960; Sharma, 1966b; Sankalia, 1974).