Madrasian culture
| The Paleolithic |
|---|
| ↑ Pliocene (before Homo) |
| ↓ Mesolithic |
The Madrasian culture is a prehistoric archaeological culture of the Indian subcontinent, dated to the Lower Paleolithic, the earliest subdivision of the Stone Age.[1][2] It belongs to the Acheulian industry, and some scholars consider the distinction between the Madrasian and the broader, regional Acheulian tradition defunct.[3][4]
Discovery
The Madrasian was named for its type site of Attirampakkam (then part of the Madras Presidency, near Chennai), discovered by British archaeologist and geologist Robert Bruce Foote in 1863.[2][3] The oldest tools at Attirampakkam are dating back to 1.5 million years, found by using cosmic-ray exposure dating.[5]
Tools
The Madrasian is characterized by
cleavers [6] but includes flake tools, microliths and other chopping tools. Most were made from quartzite, unlike Hint, which is used in Europe.[7][8] Hand-axes have a pear shape or oval shape, flaking on both faces.[7]
See also
- South Asian Stone Age
- Archaeological pottery cultures in India
- Archaeological culture
- Archaeological context
- Chronological dating
- Excavation (archaeology)
References
- ISBN 978-90-04-07512-2. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-415-35616-9. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-202-30960-6. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ISBN 978-81-317-1120-0. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- S2CID 206531024.
- ISBN 978-0-07-063577-7. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
- ^ a b "Paleolithic Period in India: The Soan and Madras Culture". Your Article Library. 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ISBN 978-81-224-1198-0. Retrieved 16 October 2011.