An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s6.t6.23

v1.c9.s6.t6.23

The Salem Neolithic collections of Foote show a great variety of tool types, on the whole comparing favourably with those already known elsewhere from the Deccan sites, as at SANGANAKALLU and NAGARJUNAKONDA. Mace-heads, axe hammers (with circular section across the central part), shoe-last celts (fairly common), picks or fabricators (almost identical with those from NAGARJUNAKONDA, chisels, burnished stones, pestles or corn-crushers, triangular-shaped flat celts, adzes (very rare), long celts with more or less oblong lower body, very small celts often on flakes, with the entire body and edges polished, are all present. Flake-made tools are preponderant. The polishing of the tools was dependent on the nature of the rock chosen; the coarse ones are only pecked and ground. Re-using of the edges appears to be common. Of the mace-heads there is a particularly large specimen, perhaps the largest yet known in India, the central hole of which must have been 8 cm. in diameter; it was apparently a weapon of defence as well as a functional tool. No associated pottery is reported.