History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c10.s1.t4: A.3 Direct Percussion - Soft/Cylindrical Hammer Technique
History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c10.s1.t4
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A.3 Direct Percussion - Soft/Cylindrical Hammer Technique
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The continuation of the direct percussion technique was modified in later times by the use of hammers of elongated shape and of softer material such as bone, antler and wood etc. (Bordes, 1968, p. 24). The advantage of the use of such hammer was that the delivered blow could take out only small and shallow flakes (Fig.4).
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This helped in controlling the chipping process. It was thus possible to make fine tips and well formed shapes of specialized implements like handaxe and cleaver (Fig.5).
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Fig.4. Cylinder Hammer/Acheulian Technique
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Some times edge of chopper and chopping tools were also made by this technique. The reminiscents of this technique in the form of small and shallow flake scars, were recognized at Sant Acheul site of France, after which the technique is also known as *Acheulian technique* (Bordes, 1968, pp. 51-52).
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In Africa, some time back this technique was named as ‘Chellean’. The handaxes made in Acheulian technique are the characteristic form of the Acheulian culture, which appears to have originated in Africa around 1.5 million years ago (Clark, 1982, p. 41). but, its complete successive stages are well documented in western Europe. The Lower, Middle and Upper or Advanced Acheulian stages besides typological modification also evidence development of Acheulian technique. It was the Advanced Acheulian stage which was particularly widespread in European, African and perhaps parts of Asian continents.
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Numerous sites which are reported from peninsular India are characterised by Advanced or Late Acheulian features. The typo- technological characters of our industries compare well with the Isimila, Olorgesaile and Kalambo fall industries of Africa. These Acheulian collections were studies with a view to comparing the India data, by this author at University of California, Berkeley (USA). It was noted that besides finely made lanceolate and ovate forms of handaxes, the flake cleavers of Indian Acheulian tool- kit also have much technological similarities with the African industries of the later facies of Acheulian.
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In the absence of the absolute dates, and due to the typo- technological similarities with Advanced Acheulian of Africa, Indian Acheulian appears to be datable between one million and 0.5/0.4 million years. The Acheulian remains of the Indian sub- continent was named as ‘Madrasian Culture’, after the discovery of first cleaver, and also after the concentration of sites yielding handaxes and cleavers near Madras in the later investigations (Krishnaswami, 1948). But, the Acheulian term has also attained wide acceptance in India. Some of very finely worked handaxes of refine Acheulian technique have been reported from Attirampakkam (Krishnaswami, 1938; *Indian Archaeology 1964-65: A Review*, 20), Vadamadurai(*Indian Archaeology 1966-67: A Review*,20-21; Jayaswal, 1985), *Fig.6. Flake*
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Fig.5. Handaxe & Cleaver of Acheulian tradition
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CORTEX PREPARATION SCAR BULB OF PERCUSSION STRIKING PLATFORM
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Gudiyam (*Indian Archaeology 1963- 64:A Review*,19) in Tamilnadu, Bhimbetka (Misra, V.N.,1985) and Adamgarh in Madhya Pradesh (Joshi, 1978), and Paisra in Bihar (Pant & Jayaswal, 1991) etc.