40325
Author
Baskaran, M.; Marathe, A.R.; Rajaguru, S.N.; Somayajulu, B.L.K.
Title Of Article Chaper
Geochronology and palaeolithic cultures in the Hiran Valley, Saurashtra, India
Title Of Journal Book
Journal of archaeological science
Volume
13
Issue
6
Pages
505-514
Collation
4 figs., 3 tables, 38 refs.
Publisher
Academic Press
Publisher City
London; New York
ISSN
0305-4403
Language Of Text
English
Literature Type
Serial
Literature Level
Analytic
Abstract
The uranium and thorium concentration of 16 miliolite samples from the Hiran Valley in Saurashtra ranged from 0.3 to 2.14 ppm and 0. 12 to 0.82 ppm respectively. The <sup>2</sup>34</sup/<sup>2</sup>83</sup activity ratio ranged from 1. 09 to 1.16, with a mean of 1.12 ± 0.02. It agrees well with the seawater value of 1.14 ± 0.02 within the quoted errors. Nine of the samples were datable by the <sup>230</sup>Th/<sup>2</sup>34</sup method and the ages ranged from 56.8 to 190 Kyr. The problem of chronology of Palaeolithic artifacts is interlinked with the miliolite and other coastal formations. The present investigations permit the development of a chronological framework for the Palaeolithic cultures in the Hiran Valley in particular, and generally in Saurashtra Peninsula. On the basis of radiometric dates and relative chronology, the Lower Palaeolithic cultures fall in a time bracket of 190-69 Kyr BP. The Middle Palaeolithic industry is much older than 56.8 Kyr BP. The dates obtained for the Lower Palaeolithic cultures are perhaps the oldest reported to date. -- AATA
Keywords
Miliolite Formation;Palaeolithic Tool;U-series Dating;Sea Level Change AATA
pub_id
40325