An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c39.290

v2.c39.290

The Malaprabha basin is one of the areas very rich in Lower Palaeolithic [4.2] industries. It shows a complex assemblage of various types of tools ranging from cruder forms to very fine artefacts, which cannot be differentiated stratigraphically as all come from the same horizon. The quartzite of the Kaladgi series is the chief rock material used in the manufacture of these tools but a few of them are on sand-stone, schist and granite. Most of them are made on flakes, pebble or core tools being small in number. A vast majority exhibit the Acheulian technique [16.15] visible in small flake scars, some showing step flaking, completely flaked body, almost straight edges and usually symmetrical biconvex cross-sections. The tools comprise varieties of handaxes, cleavers, picks, scrapers, choppers, discoids, worked and simple flakes and cores. The handaxes and cleavers, the two leading tool types, occur in approximately equal proportions.