Research Items

Abstract

Stone Implements of Types new to Southern India.—Six stone implements of types not hitherto recorded in India are figured and described by K. Sripada Rao in the Journal of the Mysore University, vol. 4, pt. 2, July 1930. They are selected from among four hundred and fifty implements collected on geological excursions of the Central College, Bangalore. It is suggested that of the six types, four, from Reddipalle, Cuddapah District, of Cuddapah quartzite, represent an advance on the Lower Palæolithic (Acheulean) culture of Biligere, Mysore, while the last two, from Trichinopoly and Ranganathpur, Mysore, belong to the Middle Palæolithic. The first implement is triangular with incurved sides. One surface is concave and shows no sign of working the other has a small central triangular platform of which the sides are parallel to the sides of the implement, giving it the appearance of a truncated triangular pyramid. Similar specimens were collected from widely separated areas such as Satyavedu, Alicoor Hills, and Kibbanhalli (Mysore). The nearest parallel is a ‘tribrach’ from the Isle of Wight, described by Sir John Evans, and compared by him to specimens from Yucatan and Russia. The second implement is roughly triangular with rounded angles and has one surface chipped in three broad triangular faces longitudinally disposed. It closely resembles the Stellenbosch ‘cleaver’. The third implement is horseshoe shaped. The worked surface is covered by six broad flaked faces, the three big ones forming, with the back, the three straight cutting edges, of which the main one is opposite the curved edge of the horseshoe. The fourth implement is roughly rectangular. The worked surface (one side only) shows four big flakings, of which the one longitudinally disposed forms the cutting edge. Of the two remaining implements, the one from Trichinopoly, of yellow cherty material, is crescent shaped. The convex edge, 83/4 in. in length, is thin and sharp, the concave edge is also sharp. One end is pointed, the other has a ridge, and it is suggested that this was inserted in a handle to enable both edges to be used. The sixth implement, from Ranganathpur, is of white and greasy-looking quartz reef, stained red by iron oxides. It is of the shape of an ox-head with ledge-like notches in the place of the ears. These make the implement probably unique in India and perhaps indeed elsewhere. It is suggested that the rounded and sharpedged butt, which affords no hand-hold, was intended to fit in a slotted handle.