A study of lithic refitting and the Middle Palaeolithic core reduction strategies in South Bihar, India

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive technological analysis of the Middle Palaeolithic assemblage from the Kharagpur Hills, South Bihar, India, integrating refitting studies to investigate complete reduction sequence. The assemblage consists of Levallois, discoid, and low-exploited cores, systematically collected from surface clusters using a grid-based method. The gradual exposure of encapsulated sediments due to erosional processes driven by post-depositional agents led to the uncovering of these lithic clusters. Notably, the absence of inter-cluster/locus refits and conjoins at three nearby clusters suggests that lithic materials remained largely confined within their respective clusters, implying minimal movement of unfinished blanks across the site. Locally available fine-grained quartzite was primarily exploited as raw materials, emphasizing the role of regional lithic resources in lithic production. The refitting analysis provides critical insights into the technological approaches employed in both Levallois and discoid reduction, marking a significant contribution to South Asian Middle Palaeolithic studies. The complete sequence of discoid core exploitation, from initial reduction to discard, and the multiple rounds of Levallois reduction including preparation and production stages, reconstructed through refitting, enhance our knowledge of hominin knapping strategies. Furthermore, the scarcity of tools across all clusters, except one, along with the absence of selective blanks, suggests that tool modification occurred at specific areas different from primary knapping spots, highlighting the spatial organization of lithic production and use.