In South Asia, the northern Vindhyan Plateau in central India preserves a rich Palaeolithic record derived from both alluvial plains and the Kaimur hill range. The Middle Son Valley (MSV), one of the key river basins in this region, has been extensively studied by various scholars and institutions, yielding a significant record of Palaeolithic sites along with vertebrate fossils from dated, stratified alluvial sediments. However, relatively little is known about the nature of Palaeolithic remains in the tributaries, neighbouring river valleys, and foothill zones of the Kaimur Range within the peripheral areas of the MSV. This research addresses this gap through systematic archaeological investigations carried out between 2012 and 2025 in the neighbouring regions of the MSV. Fieldwork involved structured surveys, documentation of lithic assemblages, and analysis of their geomorphological contexts. A total of 787 lithic artefacts were documented from surface sites and stratified localities, collected from sedimentary exposures and selected surface contexts. The investigations led to the discovery of several new Palaeolithic sites, prehistoric painted rock shelters, and related archaeological assemblages in the Kaimur hill range and its foothills, as well as in adjacent river valleys, often preserved within well-stratified deposits. The foothill zones yielded Acheulean assemblages dominated by cleavers from secure stratified layers, alongside artefacts attributable to the Late Palaeolithic or Mesolithic, mostly recovered from surface contexts. Additionally, hundreds of painted prehistoric rock shelters were documented in the Kaimur Range, associated with Late Palaeolithic or Mesolithic assemblages and other archaeological remains. In neighbouring river valleys - such as the Rihand, Mayar, Tons, Gopad, Ken, and Choti Mahanadi - numerous Lower, Middle, and Late Palaeolithic or Mesolithic artefacts were recorded, along with vertebrate fossils from stratified layers. These findings demonstrate that the peripheral zones of the MSV form a significant archaeological landscape that reflects recurrent hominin occupation. The results further suggest that the Vindhyan basin provided a favourable ecological setting for sustained Palaeolithic habitation and adaptation, offering new insights into the distribution and behavioural patterns of prehistoric populations across the wider Middle Son Valley region.
Prior analyses of Neolithic flaked stone assemblages in Britain have tended to focus on the relative abundance of different implement types as a basis for inferring the structure of settlement and subsistence patterns during this period, with dorsally retouched ‘scrapers’ dominating the retouched components of most assemblages. Here we investigate the relationship between scraper morphology and reduction intensity at the classic Early Neolithic site of Hurst Fen in Suffolk, England. We hypothesize that the morphological variability underpinning the distinction between formal scraper types at Hurst Fen is largely a product of increasing reduction intensity. To test this hypothesis, we apply a range of quantitative measures of reduction intensity to a sample of 175 complete scrapers from the site, including: Kuhn’s (1990) Geometric Index of Unifacial Reduction (GIUR), Hiscock and Attenbrow's (2002; 2005) retouch curvature and retouched zone indices, perimeter of retouch, and retouched edge angle. Correlation statistics and descriptive plots of the relationship between Kuhn’s GIUR and the remaining retouch characteristics reveal universally positive and statistically significant relationships, albeit with the correlation between the GIUR and retouched edge angle markedly weaker than for the other retouch characteristics. Collectively, the results of our analyses support the hypothesis that the extent to which scrapers were reduced throughout their respective use-lives was a critical factor in the creation of morphological and, by extension, typological variability in the Hurst Fen scraper assemblage. At the same time, our data suggest that Early Neolithic knappers at Hurst Fen habitually knapped and resharpened scrapers in such a manner that a relatively low edge angle of around 60˚ was continually reproduced, raising the possibility of preconceived ‘designs’ that were primarily expressed in the morphological features of retouched edges. We propose a model of scraper reduction that accounts for most of the differences in scraper morphology at Hurst Fen and evaluate the analytical utility of Clark’s hugely influential typological scheme in view of this. We also consider the implications of our findings for interpretations of morphological patterning in British Neolithic scraper assemblages more broadly.
At any one time in the Palaeolithic, children constituted the largest group of individuals in a given community. While not many objects ascribed to children are known from these remote periods, it is beyond doubt that children participated in many aspects of daily life, including knapping. These youngsters played a vital role in generating technological variation and in societal adaptation. We here focus on the role of children in Northern European Final Palaeolithic societies that experienced markedly different climatic regimes in order to better understand how youngsters and their playful, exploratory learning may have contributed to adaptation. Using a mixed-methods approach we study inexperienced knappers with emphasis on three distinct groups of flintwork: blades, cores, and projectile points. We apply 2D geometric morphometrics coupled with technological attributes, quantitative and qualitative analyses to interrogate the variability within these groups with the aim of tracing the possible work of children through notions of skill level and artefact scaling. The purpose of this analysis is to investigate (i) how we can identify the signatures of children knapping flint, and (ii) how children’s participation in flintwork varied between inventories from periods characterised by distinctly different climates. Finally, to better understand the role of children in innovation and adaptation, we discuss how children’s knapping relates to the generation of technological variability, innovation, and differences in adaptation. The combined analytical focus on blades, points and cores allow us to more securely identify evidence for children, allowing us to compare their contributions to cultural variability across the two time periods.
Traditionally, Acheulean assemblages are characterized by the presence of LCT (Large Cutting Tool) and particularly bifacial pieces. In this context, the existence of large flakes as blanks for those tools is the main criteria for a chrono-geographical approach of the variability inside this technocomplex. During the time span in which Acheulean occurs, a wide variety of systematized methods for blanks production were applied probably as a response to particular raw material constraints and even to cultural traditions or constraints. In the case of the Iberian Peninsula, the quarries and workshops recently excavated in the region of Madrid, demonstrate the complexity of the flaking and shaping strategies during the second part of the Middle Pleistocene. Particularly, examples as Charco Hondo 2 (located in Los Ahijones area) or Cantera Vieja (located in Los Berrocales) both located in Madrid, demonstrate the existence of specific giant core flake exploitation, and exploitation adaptation to the blanks. In this contribution, experiments based on archaeological materials from Charco Hondo 2, are produced and studied in order to understand the existence of particular strategies in the large flake production. Concepts as predetermination or just adaptation to particular raw material constrain (even the combination of both concepts) arise when experiments were produced. In any case, those tests provide us with an excellent tool for both quantitative and qualitative understanding of reductions sequences and human intentions.
This paper examines the recycling and reuse of Neolithic stone tools, with a focus on a modified shaft-hole axe fragment discovered at Wierzbie, southwestern Poland. The study involved technological and use-wear analysis, supported by 3D modelling, to trace the life cycle of this tool and its transformation into a grooved stone. Stone tool recycling in prehistoric times often involved practices like edge resharpening and the adaptation of damaged tools, reflecting a pragmatic approach to resource management. The modified axe from Wierzbie illustrates a shift in tool function, highlighting a broader trend of reusing Neolithic implements, particularly in Late and Final Neolithic and Early Bronze Age contexts. The tool's chronology was determined through detailed morpho-typological analysis and 3D model comparisons with complete Corded Ware culture (CWC) shaft-hole axes, confirming its origins within the CWC. The axe made from diabase was modified after it was damaged. The unusual nature of its modification suggests it was likely recycled during the Final Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, possibly linked to the Bell Beaker culture. This is supported by similar grooved stones used as shaft straighteners in Central Europe, particularly within Bell Beaker contexts. Microscopic analysis of the tool's surface reveals wear patterns consistent with its new function, including polishing and striation marks associated with shaping plant-derived material. The results of this study highlight the adaptive strategies employed by prehistoric communities to prolong the lifespan of tools and materials, influenced by cultural and economic factors. This study highlights the complex life cycle of stone tools, demonstrating that recycling was not merely a functional necessity but also a culturally ingrained practice that helped maintain valuable resources within specific social and economic spheres. Through this lens, the Wierzbie artefact offers important insights into the technological ingenuity and material culture of prehistoric societies in Central Europe.
