A tale of bifaces from southern peninsular India (British Museum and Musée de l'Homme collections): a geometric morphometric and classical approach

Abstract

Bifacial tools (especially handaxes and cleavers) have played an important role in the Lower Palaeolithic studies trying to decode Acheulean lifeways through them. The methodological approach based on classical metrical analysis, could be insufficient and often subjective, especially in instances of asymmetrical tools, and incorrect orientation for capturing the morphological data. Recent years have seen the application of geometric morphometric methods on lithic tools (2D contours and 3D volumetric forms) as an accurate, efficient and objective method of data collection. This alternative approach has the additional advantage of being both interactive and reversible analytic process, reducing the time and effort in collection of data. Traditionally the museum collections of Palaeolithic artefacts of old surveys and fieldworks, are seldom subject to study due to their incomplete and often doubtful or mixed context. In the current study, both geometric morphometric on 2D contour analysis as well as classical techno-typological analytical methods has been applied to bifaces from Southern Peninsular Indian Palaeolithic kept in the British Museum (London, UK) and Musée de l’Homme (Paris, France). The aim of this study is to highlight the complementary nature of both analytical methods in deciphering and throwing light on the patterns of bifaces (handaxes and cleavers), their technological variability and stability and to identify if there are regional technological trends. The results obtained from both classical analysis and geometric morphometric analysis allow to show that handaxes were highly variable in both the regions while the cleavers show high standardization. While the former approach throws light on the knapping techniques and preferences, the latter complement the results with the shape preferences and variations across regions.