Understanding Soanian occurrences at Bam locality of Siwalik frontal range, north-western India

Abstract

Paleolithic evidence of the Indian subcontinent is often expressed through the wealth of lithic antiquities from the Stone Age. In this region, the earliest known lithic remains comprise simple cores and flakes recovered from the Siwalik Hills. The Siwalik Hills are the foothills of the southern edge of the Himalayas, and area goldmine zone for Soanian lithic implements. Although Acheulean remains have also been reported, their occurrences are few. Nevertheless, these remains have been known date from the Pleistocene, which shows varied patterns of land use and intraregional versatility. In the Siwalik Hills, Soanian implements are of two kinds: (i) a chopper type of the Lower Paleolithic period and (ii) a flake type belonging to the Middle Paleolithic period. The present study was undertaken at a newly discovered Stone Age locality, Bam, located within the frontal range of the Siwalik Hills in the Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The area under study plays an important role in understanding the relationship between people and land. The paper explores the Soanian cultural remains of the site to obtain an in-depth understanding of its nature against the backdrop of raw material availability and exploitation. The study also throws light on the local geological and geomorphological settings of the area.