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. 2022 Jun 22;17(6):e0267654.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267654. eCollection 2022.

Microlithic variation and the Mesolithic occupations of western India

Charusmita Gadekar  1 , Juan José García-Granero  1   2 , Marco Madella  3   4   5 , P Ajithprasad  6
Affiliations

Microlithic variation and the Mesolithic occupations of western India

Charusmita Gadekar et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Considerable confusion and uncertainty persist on the cultural and chronological contexts of Holocene microlithic assemblages reported from South Asia. The paucity of securely dated sites with microlithic remains has compounded the confusion. Evidence from sites securely attributed to the Mesolithic based on a holistic approach (including direct evidence of plant and animal exploitation strategies) is needed to provide a better understanding of Mesolithic lithic tool-kits. This study uses morphometric and statistical methods to assess the nature of the Holocene hunter-gatherer microlithic tools-kit from a radiometrically secured chronological context at Vaharvo Timbo, a recently excavated Mesolithic site in North Gujarat (India). The assemblage is further compared with the nearby contemporary site of Loteshwar to highlight similarities and differences within hunter-gatherer lithic assemblages, understanding which can provide detailed information about subsistence strategies as well as patterns of settlement and mobility. The results show general standardisation between these two sites regarding raw materials and manufacturing technique but variation in the relative abundance of tool types between these two sites, despite their close proximity, indicating diverse strategies of resource exploitation by the Holocene hunter-gatherer groups in western India.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Map of western India showing the location of the archaeological sites mentioned in the text.
Background figure courtesy of Conesa FC (North Gujarat Archaeological Project).
Fig 2
Fig 2
Examples of the lithic assemblage recovered from Vaharvo Timbo: a-j) trapezes, k-l) lunates, m-p) points, q) triangle isosceles and r-z) various types of blades. Courtesy of the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, The M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara. Photo credits: Ajithprasad P (North Gujarat Archaeological Project).
Fig 3
Fig 3. Boxplot showing the length, breadth and thickness (in mm) of the blades from Vaharvo Timbo.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Boxplot showing the length, breadth and thickness (in mm) of the geometric and non-geometric tools from Vaharvo Timbo.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Boxplot showing the length, breadth and thickness (in mm) of the blade cores from Vaharvo Timbo.
Fig 6
Fig 6
Comparison (in percentages) of the lithic assemblages from Loteshwar and Vaharvo Timbo: a) blades and tools, b) lithic debitage.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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