Understanding Soanian archaeology from a holistic approach

Abstract

The Soanian is a post- Acheulean archaeological adaptation in the Siwalik region of the Indian subcontinent. It was named after the Soan valley in Pakistan by H. de Terra and T.T. Paterson in the 1930s. Since then, numerous investigators have reported additional assemblages from different parts of the Siwalik zone including India and Nepal. Associated tool types occur variably with Acheulean assemblages, with proto- historic sites or exclusively. They also occur with Siwalik age fossils through geomorphological mixing. No exclusive Soanian evidence in well-stratified context has yet been excavated, dated or studied from multidisciplinary perspectives. The aim of this project was to try to address some issues associated with prevailing Soanian interpretations. Besides compilation of published data, surface assemblage from field surveys was analysed, a geological trench was excavated in post-Siwalik context, and experimental work was conducted to replicate the possible reduction sequences used by Soanian-producing hominins.