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37-574: The Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) in South Asia began as early as 2.6 million years ago (Ma) based on the earliest known sites with hominin activity, namely the Siwalik Hills of northwestern India. The Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) is defined as a transitional phase following the end of the Last Glacial Period , beginning around 10000 BCE. The Neolithic (New Stone Age), starting around 7000 BCE,

74-860: A distinct, older lithic technology separate from the Acheulean and Soanian traditions. The Attirampakkam site, located near Chennai , was first identified by the British geologist Robert Bruce Foote in the 1860s. It has produced some of the oldest known Acheulean tools in not just South Asia, but the entire world, indicating that hominins inhabiting the Indian subcontinent were already familiar with bifacial tools, handaxes and cleavers approximately 1.5 Ma. This dating, confirmed by both paleomagnetic and Al/Be burial dating, means that India's oldest Acheulean tools were contemporary to those in Africa and Central Asia and thus challenges

111-521: A locale with substantial fossil evidence of a Homo erectus . Evidence of anthropic cut marks on fossilized bone in the Himalayan foothills (2.6 Ma) positions South Asia closer to the center of hominin evolution than ever before, suggesting the region was witness to early scavenging behaviors, similar to those observed at sites like Dikika , Ethiopia (3.4 Ma) and Lomekwi , Kenya (3.2 Ma), both earlier and further from Africa than previously considered. While

148-589: A previously unknown “short-stocky” hominin, coexisting with a larger-bodied, so-called "Acheulian Man". Further inland from Attirampakkam, on the Deccan Plateau in present-day Andhra Pradesh, the sites of Jwalapuram and the Kurnool Caves offer insights into the adaptability and cognitive depth of early hominins in South India. At Jwalapuram, artifacts have been found both beneath and above volcanic ash from

185-415: A stratigraphic layer confirmed by paleomagnetic dating to 2.6 Ma, including 45 fossils with green fractures, 12 with carnivore traces, and 3 with cut marks, found on a tibia shaft from a large herbivore, a bovid shaft, and a rib from a Stegodon ( Stegadon insignis ). Although critics have attributed similar types of bone markings elsewhere to large predators or trampling, in this case, researchers concluded

222-571: A zone of springs and marshes along the northern edge of the Terai or plains. The Sivalik Hills are well known for fossils of vertebrates, spanning from the Early Miocene , until the Middle Pleistocene , around 18 million to 600,000 years ago. Some of the best known fossils from the hills include Megalochelys atlas , the largest known tortoise to have ever existed, Sivatherium giganteum ,

259-434: Is a unique archeological site in that it is a quarry - a site of lithic manufacturing where over 15,000 artifacts have been uncovered. The site has provided insights into a full spectrum of early hominin tool-making processes, from the process of selecting limestone slabs, removing large flakes, and shaping tools into bifaces such as handaxes and cleavers through secondary flaking. The presence of Homo erectus in South Asia

296-675: Is also home to the Soanian Middle Paleolithic archaeological culture. The Sivalik Hills are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about 2,400 km (1,500 mi) from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River , spanning the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent . It is 10–50 km (6.2–31.1 mi) wide with an average elevation of 1,500–2,000 m (4,900–6,600 ft). Between

333-543: Is also traditionally divided into the Lower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic periods. The Paleolithic falls within the larger geologic Pleistocene Epoch , spanning from about 2.58 million years ago (Ma) to 11,700 years ago (Ka). As such, the terms Early Pleistocene and Middle Pleistocene are often applied as overlapping geological timeframes in discussions about the Paleolithic. The Lower Paleolithic period in South Asia represents

370-406: Is associated with the emergence of agriculture and other hallmarks of settled life or sedentism , as opposed to hunter-gatherer lifestyles. The earliest South Asian neolithic sites include Mehrgarh in present-day Pakistan dated to 6500 BCE and Koldihwa , in present-day Uttar Pradesh , India, where domesticated rice has been radiocarbon dated to around 7000–6000 BCE. The Paleolithic in South Asia

407-841: Is largely inferred on the basis of lithic assemblages within the appropriate temporal range of the species duration and commonly, via the association between Acheulian tools and Homo erectus , which has been established at other global sites including in other parts of Asia. Acheulean assemblages have been widespread across South Asia, including the Kortallayar Valley in Tamil Nadu , Hunsgi-Baichbal Valleys in Karnataka (e.g. Isampur), Chirki-Nevasa in Maharashtra , Didwana in Rajasthan , Bhimbetka 's rock shelters and its surrounding open-air sites in

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444-682: The Levallois technique at Attirampakkam, was published in Nature in 2018 by a research team led by Shanti Pappu, which challenges some long-held assumptions about the Out of Africa migration theory. Levallois tools have been traditionally associated with Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens , however the Attirampakkam findings are dated to 385 Ka, making them not only the earliest examples of this technology outside of Africa, but archaeologically contemporaneous to

481-701: The Soan River , a tributary of the Indus , as well as distinct Pre-Acheulean lithic assemblages. The Masol site, located in the Siwalik Frontal Range north of Chandigarh, India , was surveyed between 2009 and 2011 by an Indo-French research program patroned by Professor Yves Coppens , the College of France and Academy of Sciences and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The site yielded over 1,469 fossils within

518-730: The Teesta and Raidāk Rivers in Assam is a gap of about 90 km (56 mi). They are well known for their Neogene and Pleistocene aged vertebrate fossils. Geologically, the Sivalik Hills belong to the Tertiary deposits of the outer Himalayas. They are chiefly composed of sandstone and conglomerate rock formations, which are the solidified detritus of the Himalayas to their north; they are poorly consolidated. The sedimentary rocks comprising

555-837: The Thirunelveli District and in Northern India have provided evidence of a southward migration of the Megalithic culture. The earliest clear evidence of the presence of the megalithic urn burials are those dating from around 1000 BCE, which have been discovered at various places in Tamil Nadu, notably at Adichanallur, 24 kilometers from Tirunelveli , where archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India unearthed 12 urns containing human skulls, skeletons and bones, husks, grains of charred rice and Neolithic celts , confirming

592-692: The Toba supereruption which occurred around 74 Ka in Indonesia and ranks as one of the largest volcanic events in the past two million years. The presence of Middle Paleolithic tools in both layers suggests that hominins survived this major environmental event and continued to inhabit the area, exhibiting cultural continuity. This resilience in the face of extreme climatic stress hints at sophisticated survival strategies. Detailed examination of these tool assemblages reveals notable similarities to Middle Paleolithic technologies found in Africa, rather than those associated with

629-555: The Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh . These discoveries indicate that Acheulean technology was not confined to a single area but was widespread across the Indian subcontinent, suggesting that associated early hominins like Homo erectus had a broad geographical distribution throughout the region. The Middle Paleolithic in South Asia is marked by the emergence of flake-based technologies that suggest more advanced planning as well as signs of early symbolic behavior. These findings may represent

666-616: The immigration of Homo sapiens into the subcontinent to 75,000 to 50,000 years ago. Cave sites in Sri Lanka have yielded non-mitochondrial record of Homo sapiens in South Asia, dated to 34,000 years ago.(Kennedy 2000: 180) Microlithic assemblages at the sites of Mahadebbera and Kana, West Bengal , India, have been dated to between 42,000 and 25,000 years ago using Optically Stimulated Luminescence , indicating an earlier presence of homo sapiens, and more specifically, microlithic technology, in South Asia than previously documented. For finds from

703-598: The "anthropic origin can be in no doubt" based on several lines of evidence. Foremost, the markings closely matched experimental cut marks made by quartzite edges. Furthermore, the taphonomic analysis of the Masol site does not suggest dispersal by a natural disaster nor does it provide evidence for animal predation of such large prey. Finally, statistically, researchers noted a relatively high frequency of sharp cut marks—3 out of 1,469 fossils, compared to sites like Java, Indonesia, where only 5 bones out of 30,000 showed similar marks in

740-727: The 7th millennium BCE. Recently another site along the ancient Saraswati riverine system in the present day state of Haryana in India called Bhirrana has been discovered yielding a dating of around 7600 BCE for its Neolithic levels. In South India the Neolithic began after 3000 BCE and lasted until around 1000 BCE. South Indian Neolithic is characterized by Ashmounds since 2500 BCE in the Andhra - Karnataka region that expanded later into Tamil Nadu . Comparative excavations carried out in Adichanallur in

777-592: The Attirampakkam Levallois tools were made by early modern humans living in India long before the accepted migration out of Africa or by earlier hominin species such as Homo heidelbergensis remains unresolved in the absence of DNA or fossil evidence. The Narmada Valley of central India have revealed evidence of two distinct hominin populations during the middle to early late Pleistocene (250 Ka to 70 Ka). Fossils uncovered by anthropologist Anek Sankhyan include robust but unusually short clavicles, which point to

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814-760: The Belan in southern Uttar Pradesh , India radiocarbon data have indicated an age of 18,000-17,000 years. At the rock shelters of Bhimbetka there are cave paintings dating to c.  30,000 BCE , and there are small cup like depressions at the end of the Auditorium Rock Shelter, which is dated to nearly 100,000 years; the Sivaliks and the Potwar (Pakistan) region also exhibit many vertebrate fossil remains and paleolithic tools. Chert , jasper and quartzite were often used by humans during this period. In northern India

851-589: The Churia forests differ among different forest management regimes and are highest in protected areas. 27°46′N 82°24′E  /  27.767°N 82.400°E  / 27.767; 82.400 Attirampakkam 13°13′50″N 79°53′20″E  /  13.23056°N 79.88889°E  / 13.23056; 79.88889 Attirampakkam, or Athirampakkam is a village near river Kortallaiyar located 60 kilometers away from Chennai , Tamil Nadu , India . The oldest stone tools in India were discovered near

888-465: The Levantine. This resemblance has led researchers to propose that Homo sapiens may have been responsible for creating these artifacts. Additionally, the timing of these assemblages aligns with genetic estimates for early human migrations out of Africa, providing further support for the idea that modern humans may have been present in southern India around this time. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA dates

925-667: The Masol site provides evidence of quartzite cut marks, other sites in the region reveal evidence of stone tools capable of producing such cut marks. Riwat , located in the Pothohar Plateau , is one of the earliest sites containing Pre-Acheulean stone tools dated to around 2.5 Ma. Similarly, the Pabbi Hills in Northern Pakistan have produced stone tools dated to 2.2 to 0.9 Ma. The stone tools found at these sites, including light and heavy-duty tools like simple end-choppers, represent

962-539: The aceramic Neolithic (Mehrgarh I, Baluchistan, Pakistan, also dubbed "Early Food Producing Era") lasts c.  7000 - 5500 BCE. The ceramic Neolithic lasts up to 3300 BCE, blending into the Early Harappan (Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age) period. One of the earliest Neolithic sites is Lahuradewa in the Middle Ganges region and Jhusi near the confluence of Ganges and Yamuna rivers, both dating to around

999-450: The assistance of French scientists, the age of the objects found in the trenches was determined using cosmic ray exposure dating (26Al/10Be). It was the first time in India, the archaeological site in India was dated. By performing a luminescence dating method called Post Infrared Stimulated Luminescence (pIR-IRSL) on about 7,200 artifacts found at Attirampakkam, researchers have made a chronology of Attirampakkam stone tool technology with

1036-486: The discovery as a "marvellous" contribution to understanding human history in South Asia, noting that it fills knowledge gap from 400 Ka to 175 Ka. Petraglia considers these artifacts as evidence of an independent advancement made by early humans in Attirampakkam: "Rather than equating technologies from Europe to Africa to South Asia, you can also recast it as independent invention by large-brained early humans." Whether

1073-555: The earliest known African Levallois point, dated to 400 Ka, in East Africa 's Kapthurin Formation . This far predates the previous figure of 130 Ka for when modern humans were thought to have migrated from Africa into Eurasia. The larger implications of the findings remain open to debate. Shanti Pappu, a lead author on the 2018 Nature article, has been careful not to attribute the tools to any particular hominin species, but speculates that

1110-561: The earliest phase of hominid activity in the region and chronologically corresponds with the Early Pleistocene . This archeological record, spanning 2.6 Ma -2.5 Ma to approximately 300 Ka, is marked by evidence of lithic technology , including those characterized as the Acheulean industry, (which are often attributed to early hominids such as Homo erectus ), the Soanian industry, named after

1147-527: The hills are believed to be 16–5.2 million years old. They are bounded on the south by a fault system called the Main Frontal Thrust, with steeper slopes on that side. Below this, the coarse alluvial Bhabar zone makes the transition to the nearly level plains. Rainfall, especially during the summer monsoon , percolates into the Bhabar, then is forced to the surface by finer alluvial layers below it in

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1184-708: The largest known giraffid , and the ape Sivapithecus . Remains of the Lower - Middle Paleolithic Soanian culture dating to around 500,000 to 125,000 years Before Present were found in the Sivalik region. Contemporary to the Acheulean , the Soanian culture is named after the Soan Valley in the Sivalik Hills of Pakistan . The Soanian archaeological culture is found across Sivalik region in present-day India, Nepal and Pakistan. The carbon stock and carbon sequestration rates of

1221-452: The presence of the Neolithic period 2800 years ago. Archaeologists have made plans to return to Adhichanallur as a source of new knowledge in the future. Siwalik Hills The Sivalik Hills , also known as Churia Hills , are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas . The literal translation of "Sivalik" is 'tresses of Shiva '. The hills are known for their numerous fossils, and

1258-481: The tools could indicate an earlier arrival of Homo sapiens to India, which would support a more complex non-linear migration pattern out of Africa. Paleoanthropologist John Hawks, also not involved in the study, commented that the Attirampakkam data dismantle previous notions that modern humans spread from Africa due to a significant technological superiority over archaic, less intelligent human species. Independent pre-publication peer reviewer, Michael Petraglia described

1295-477: The traditional view of Acheulean colonization, suggesting either an earlier spread or independent development of these lithic technologies across several continents. Isampur in Karnataka, India , is one of 200 some Lower Paleolithic Acheulian sites in the Hunasagi and Baichbal valleys, and is dated to about 1.27 Ma. Although older assemblages have been found in Attirampakkam and Bori, Maharashtra (1.4 Ma), Isampur

1332-600: The village, which became the type site for the Madrasian culture . Robert Bruce Foote and his colleague William King of the East India Company's Geological Survey found the first primitive stone tools at Attirampakkam in early 1863. Later, more stone tools were recovered from Attirampakkam over 20 years by archaeologists from the Sharma Centre for Heritage Education in India and other Indian institutions. With

1369-519: The work of early anatomically modern humans. The transition to the Middle Paleolithic in South Asia has been uniquely informed by Attirampakkam , an open-air site with evidence of lithic industry spanning over a millennium. This quarry site has preserved not only the earliest Acheulean assemblages in South Asia (1.5 Ma), but also the earliest Middle Paleolithic assemblages, dated to 385 Ka. The discovery of over 7,000 artifacts, bearing evidence of

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