Short Axe Typology: A Morphometric Study with Special Reference to Garo Hills Lithics

Abstract

The Hoabinhian is an epi-Palaeolithic phenomenon datable to late Pleistocene and early Holocene from Southeast Asia. This tradition in the form of specific tools such as short axes, sumatraliths, edge ground tools etc. have been reported from some sites in Northeast India. One of the characteristic tool type in this kit is the short axe varietywhich however due to its variation (spatial and raw material) is possibly overlooked in many locations. This paper attempts to define the short axe, and present a morphometric discussion on the short axe tool type collected from Garo Hills, its variations, and other concomitant issues. From the evidences presented in this paper, it is clear that that the Garo Hills short axe is a discrete type in its own.