Spatial distribution of Palaeolithic sites in relation to raw material sources in the central Narmada Valley, India

Abstract

Abstract Landscape adaptation in central India is quite exceptional, as more than 300 Lower Palaeolithic occurrences have been reported in different contexts. The present work deals with these assemblages and associated raw material sources in the central Narmada Valley. The central Narmada Valley is rich in various rock types that were used as raw material by various hominin populations. The Narmada River divides the region into northern and southern parts. In the north, there are mainly the Vindhyan Supergroup and Deccan Trap, whereas, in the south, there are primarily the Gondwana Supergroup, the Deccan Traps and the Mahakoshal Group. Along the river, there are exposures of the Vindhyan Supergroup and thick deposits of Quaternary alluvium. The main raw material types in the north of Narmada are quartzite and sandstone (Vindhyan Supergroup), whereas, in the south of Narmada, the main raw materials are quartzite (Gondwana Supergroup) and chert (Deccan Trap). Acheulean sites are mostly found along the foothills of Vindhyan, as well as along the banks of the Narmada River and its tributaries. In this chapter, the author has tried to link these raw material sources with the occurrences of Palaeolithic sites in order to have a better understanding of past hominin land-use patterns and ecological adaptations.