An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c40.263

v2.c40.263

The course of the Narmada downstream of Hoshangabad has not been studied systematically. It is only around MAHESHWAR (22° 11'; 75° 36') in Dt W. Nimar that Sankalia and the author noted Stone Age industries in the context of three cut-and-fill terraces. The basal gravel of the 30 m terrace yielded Lower Palaeolithic tools; the gravel of the 20 m terrace was found to be rich in Middle Palaeolithic tools; but the youngest inset terrace, 8 to 10 m did not yield any specific industry. The first two terraces appear to be of the middle to late Pleistocene and the third one is of the early Holocene [9.8.4]. Recently Armond excavated a terrace gravel (+ 15 m), 1 km away from the left bank of the Narmada and established a primary channel occupation site of the Lower Palaeolithic tradition. So far no biological remains have been found in association with Stone Age industries noticed around MAHESHWAR. The tools comprise large and heavy flakes of quartzite pebbles with pronounced bulb of percussion recalling Clactonian technique [16.15.1]. These have been limitedly flaked further into heavy scrapers or choppers. But generally bifaces are absent.