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Home/Anthropology/Mains PYQ/2020/Paper I/Prehistoric Archaeology
UPSC MainsAnthropology Optional Paper I 2020 15 Marks Model Answer Available

Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Cultures — 2020 Paper I

Question · 2020 · Paper I · 15 Marks

Differentiate between Lower Palaeolithic culture and Middle Palaeolithic culture with suitable examples.

Model Answer

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Approach

  • Demand of Question: Differentiate Lower and Middle Palaeolithic cultures in technology, tool types, raw materials and cultural development.
  • Structuring the Response: Use a comparative framework supported by important Indian archaeological examples.
  • Key Dimensions to Cover: Acheulean, handaxe-cleaver, prepared-core technique, flake tools, Attirampakkam, Hunsgi, Nevasa and Didwana.

Model Answer

Introduction

The Lower and Middle Palaeolithic represent successive stages of Stone Age adaptation. The Lower Palaeolithic is dominated by large core and bifacial tools, while the Middle Palaeolithic shows greater use of prepared-core and flake-based technologies.

Major differences

Feature Lower Palaeolithic Middle Palaeolithic
Broad phase Earlier Pleistocene Later Pleistocene
Main technology Core and bifacial Flake-based
Major tradition Acheulean Prepared-core industries
Typical tools Handaxes, cleavers, choppers Scrapers, points, borers
Tool size Generally larger Generally smaller
Production Shaping of core itself Controlled flake production
Raw material Quartzite common Chert, chalcedony, jasper, quartzite
Technological emphasis Bifacial reduction Prepared cores and flakes

Lower Palaeolithic culture

The Indian Lower Palaeolithic is strongly represented by the Acheulean handaxe-cleaver tradition.

Typical tools include:

  • handaxes;
  • cleavers;
  • choppers;
  • chopping tools;
  • large flakes.

Important sites include:

  • Attirampakkam, Tamil Nadu
  • Hunsgi-Baichbal Valley, Karnataka
  • Isampur, Karnataka
  • Narmada Valley
  • Didwana region

Middle Palaeolithic culture

The Middle Palaeolithic witnessed increasing emphasis on flake-based technology.

Characteristic tools included:

  • side scrapers;
  • points;
  • borers;
  • denticulates;
  • retouched flakes.

Prepared-core methods allowed greater control over flake size and shape.

Important occurrences include:

  • Nevasa, Maharashtra
  • Narmada region
  • Didwana
  • central and peninsular India

Technological transition

The broad trend was:

Large bifacial tools → Prepared cores → Smaller specialized flakes

This reflects:

  • greater raw-material economy;
  • increased technological planning;
  • functional specialization.

However, the transition was gradual, and older and newer technological forms could overlap.

Conclusion

The major distinction lies in the shift from large bifacial Acheulean tools of the Lower Palaeolithic to increasingly specialized flake-based and prepared-core technologies of the Middle Palaeolithic, reflecting greater technological flexibility.

2026 Ethnoarchaeology and classical archaeology. 2026 Give the distribution of Palaeolithic sites around the Himalayan and Sub-Himalayan areas, highlighting the typo-technologies of the tools. 2026 Thermoluminescence dating method. 2026 Write a detailed note on the characteristic features, chronology, geographical distribution, tool types and lifeways of Magdalenian cultural tradition of Europe.

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