The South Asian Paleolithic Record and Its Potential for Transitions Studies

Abstract

The Indian subcontinent contains a rich and continuous behavioral record of hominin occupa- tion since at least the early Middle Pleistocene. All lithic assemblages demonstrate the presence ofLower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic features and variable patterns of blank reduction, being in general congru- ence with other parts of the Old World. However, empirical lacunae continue to persist, such as the lack of absolute dates for many important sites and well-excavated spatial information. As a result, it has been challenging to assess the timings and nature of these technological transitions and compare that data with other regions. Although broad ages have been assigned to most assemblages on the basis of lithic typology, stratigraphy, and biochronology, they are inadequate when discussing the precise causes of the behavioral shifts and resulting adaptive strategies. Accumulated data, to date, reflect diverse techniques of rawmaterial acquisition, transport, and reduction. The few stratified sites that have yielded evidence of technological phases include both open-air and rock- shelter/cave contexts. Both the Lower toMiddle and Middle to Upper Paleolithic transitions vary at an interregional level, particularly in peninsular India. This probably reflects the collective impact of a suite of factors: demf factors: demography, raw material type, topogra- phical prominence, water resources, cognitive cap- abilities, mobility and settlement patterns, and sub- sequent hominin dispersals from peripheral regions. This paper discusses the dynamic character of the archaeological record in Pleistocene South Asia and attempts to highlight key behavioral changes.Froma broader comparative perspective, the general contex- tual, technological, and chronological attributes are also discussed for the best-known sites.