A Decade of Paleoanthropology in the Indian Subcontinent (2005–2015)

Abstract

This chapter reviews the recent important archaeological and associated evidence for paleoanthropology in South Asia. The age of the Early Acheulean at Attirampakkam has significant paleoanthropological implications and represents the oldest known Acheulean evidence outside of Africa. It is possible that the South Asian Late Acheulean represents regional cultural groups and techno-morphological diversity that is yet to be properly recognized. Since 2004, the Narmada Basin Paleoanthropology Project (NBPP) has been involved in revealing the nature of Paleolithic and paleontological occurrences in the central Narmada Basin. It is demonstrated that most of the Soanian evidence appears to postdate the regional Acheulean and this adaptation of using rounded clasts continues until the regional Chalcolithic times. A growing topic of contention has been the impact of the Toba volcanic eruption on existing hominin populations c. 74 kya. The Younger Toba Tephra (YTT) isochronous marker represents the largest terrestrial source of Toba ash deposits.