Palaeolithic tool discovery adds to understanding of human settlements in Telangana

Palaeolithic quartzite tools discovery in Mulugu district of Telangana, pushes back understanding of human habitations in Telangana and central India.

The recent floods in the Mulugu district of Telangana has led to a fresh discovery of paleolithic quartzite tools. “The tools or hand axes were found in the sand bed of a stream that dried up after the flood. The tools got exposed as the stream has dried up,” said Sriramoju Haragopal, who led the team of amateur historians in the effort. The new discovery pushes back the understanding about human habitations in Telangana and central India.

Large parts of Mulugu, Jayashankar Bhupalpally districts in the north-eastern parts of Telangana were flooded in July, 2023 leading to large-scale destruction. “The hand axes were found in the stream between Gurrevula and Bhupatipuram villages in Mulugu district. The stone axe measuring 15.5cm in length, 11cm in width and 5.5cm in thickness was found by researcher Eleswaram Janardanachari,” informed Mr. Haragopal of Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam.

According to paleontologist Ravi Korisettar, the stone axe belongs to the Lower Paleolithic period and is about 30 lakh years ago. Paleolithic Age is also known as or Old Stone Age or Early Stone Age. It dates back to about 33 lakh years BC. It lasted for 10,000 years.

“We identified the tools based on chipping style, the material and the size of tools. Palaeolithic hunter gatherers used heavy quartzite and large tools. Similar hand axes as these have been discovered worldwide. The tools were used for cutting wood and killing animals for food,” informed Mr. Haragopal.

In 1863, the East India Company’s Geological Survey team found a paleolithic site at Attirampakkam near Madras (present-day Chennai) with bifacial hand-axes made of stone by early humans. The tools are about 15 lakh years old. Paleolithic culture has been labelled as Madras Hand-Axe Industry or Madrasian Culture.