Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-fv566 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-20T01:43:40.078Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

CHRONOLOGY OF FOSSILIFEROUS LOCALITIES IN MANJRA VALLEY, DISTRICT LATUR, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2022

Vijay Sathe*
Affiliation:
Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune411006, India
Pankaj Kumar
Affiliation:
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Group, Inter-University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi110067, India
Prateek Chakraborty
Affiliation:
Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune411006, India
Rajveer Sharma
Affiliation:
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Group, Inter-University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi110067, India
*
*Corresponding author. Email: vijay19sathe@gmail.com

Abstract

The present paper is an announcement of first absolute age dating directly on fossilized bones and teeth of the Pleistocene mammalian fauna from the Manjra valley, District Latur, Maharashtra, India. The fossilized samples were measured using the AMS facility at Inter-University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi, India. The results gave the time frame of 21,423 BP to 24,335 BP that correspond close to and the threshold of LGM and sheds important light on the palaeoecology of the area that supported diverse megafaunal species in the Upper Manjra valley. These calendar dates not only have wider significance in terms of first ever approximate chronological frame for the Pleistocene fauna in Peninsular India but also offer methodological innovations especially when the adequate bioapatite is absent in the fossilized bones and teeth from the fossil record.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press for the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Agrawal, DP, Kusumgar, S. 1975. Radiocarbon dates of some Late Quaternary samples. Current Science 44:149151.Google Scholar
Anantharaman, S, Dassarma, DC, Ashok, Kumar P.. 2005. A new species of Quaternary hippopotamid from Bhima valley, Karnataka. Journal of the Geological Society of India 66:209216.Google Scholar
Ansari, ZD. 1971. Pebble tools from Nittur (Mysore state). Indian Antiquary 4(1–4):17.Google Scholar
Atkinson, TC, Rower, PJ, Pawar, NJ, Kale, VS. 1990. Unpublished report submitted to Natural Environmental Research Council (U.K.).Google Scholar
Badam, GL. 1979. Pleistocene fauna of India. Pune: Deccan College.Google Scholar
Badam, GL, Ganjoo, RK, Salahuddin, . 1986. Preliminary taphonomic studies of some Pleistocene fauna from the Central Narmada valley, Madhya Pradesh, India. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 53:335348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Badam, GL, Jain, SL. 1988. First record of Bos namadicus from Middle Late Pleistocene deposits of Lower Godavari near Servaipet, in Karimnagar District, Andhra Pradesh. Palaeontological Society of India 33:97104.Google Scholar
Badam, GL, Kajale, MD. 1977. On the occurrence of Hexaprotodon palaeindicus from the Ghod Valley, western India. Journal of the University of Poona (Science and Technology) 50: 209219.Google Scholar
Badam, GL, Thakur, N, Varade, A. 2018. Quaternary fauna from Vadod locality, Purna alluvial basin, central India. Journal of Geosciences Research 3(1):2529.Google Scholar
Cherkinsky, A. 2009. Can we get a good radiocarbon age from “bad bone”? Determining the reliability of radiocarbon age from bioapatite. Radiocarbon 51(2):647655.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cherkinsky, A, Dantas, M, Cozzuol, M. 2013. Bioapatite 14C Age of giant mammals from Brazil. Radiocarbon 55(2):464471. doi: 10.1017/S0033822200057593.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deo, SG, Rajaguru, SN. 2014. Early Pleistocene environment of Acheulian sites in the Deccan Upland: a geomorphic approach. In: Paddayya, K, Sushama, D, editors. Recent advances in Acheulian culture studies in India. Pune: Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies. p. 1122.Google Scholar
Faith, J. 2014. Late Pleistocene and Holocene mammal extinctions on continental Africa. Earth-Science Reviews 128:105121.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foote, RB. 1876. The geological features of the South Mahratta country and adjacent districts. Memoirs of Geological Survey India 12:1268.Google Scholar
Hedges, REM. 2002. Bone diagenesis: an overview of processes. Archaeometry 44:319328.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hedges, REM, Van Klinken, GJ. 1992 A review of current approaches in the pretreatment of bone for radiocarbon dating by AMS. Radiocarbon 34:279291. doi: 10.1017/S0033822200063438.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herrando-Pérez, S. 2021 Bone need not remain an elephant in the room for radiocarbon dating. Royal Society Open Science 8:201351. doi: 10.1098/rsos.201351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Indian Archaeological Review. 1997–1998. p. 56–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Joshi, RV, Chitale, SV, Rajaguru, SN, Papu, RS, Badam, GL. 1981. Archaeological studies in the Manjra valley, central Godavari Basin. Bulletin Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute 40:6794.Google Scholar
Jukar, AM, Lyons, SK, Wagner, PJ, Uhen, MD. 2021. Late Quaternary extinctions in the Indian Subcontinent. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 562. doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.110137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jukar, AM, Patnaik, R, Chauhan, PR, Li, HC, Lin, JP. 2019. The youngest occurrence of Hexaprotodon Falconer and Cautley. 1836 (Hippopotamidae, Mammalia) from South Asia with a discussion on its extinction. Quaternary International 528:130137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kajale, MD. 1979. Bioarchaeology of the Ghod valley, Maharashtra [Unpublished PhD Thesis]. Pune: University of Poona.Google Scholar
Kale, VS, Ganjoo, RK, Rajaguru, SN, Salahuddin. 1986. A link-channel occupation site of Acheulian man, Upper Krishna valley, Karnataka. Current Science 55(21):10731075.Google Scholar
Kshirsagar, A. 1993. The role of fluorine in the chronometric dating of Indian Stone Age cultures. Man and Environment 18(2):2332.Google Scholar
Kshirsagar, AA, Paddayya, K. 1988–1989. Hunsgi-Baichbal valley, North Karnataka, by fluorine analysis. Bulletin of the Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute 47–48:143146.Google Scholar
Kumar, A. 1985. Quaternary studies of the upper Godavari Valley: a study in environmental archaeology [unpublished PhD thesis]. Pune: University of Poona.Google Scholar
Longin, R. 1971. New method of collagen extraction for radiocarbon dating. Nature 230(5291):241242.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Louys, J. 2007. Ecology and extinction of Southeast Asia’s megafauna [unpublished PhD thesis]. Sydney: University of New South Wales.Google Scholar
Mishra, S. 1995. Chronology of the Indian Stone Age: the impact of recent absolute and relative dating attempts. Man and Environment 20(2):1116.Google Scholar
Mishra, S, Naik, S, Rajaguru, SN, Deo, S, Ghate, S. 2003. Fluvial response to late Quaternary climatic change: case studies from upland western India. Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy 69A(2):185200.Google Scholar
Moitra, AK, Shankar, CNVK, Aitaramaih, Y. 2002. Quaternary history of the lower Bhima river basin. GEOSAS-IV, Geological Congress, New Delhi. Abstract no. 5.Google Scholar
Nielsen-March, C, Hedges, REM. 2000. Patterns of diagenesis in bone I: the effects of site environments. Journal of Archaeological Science 27:11391151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paddayya, K. 1969. Hagargundgi—a fossiliferous Middle Stone Age site on the Bhima river. Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal 11(1–4):1214.Google Scholar
Paddayya, K. 2001. The Acheulian culture project of the Hunsgi and Baichbal valleys, Peninsular India. In: Barham, L, RobsonBrown, K, editors. Human roots: Africa and Asia in the Middle Pleistocene. Bristol: Western Academic Press. p. 235258.Google Scholar
Paddayya, K, Blackwell, BAB, Jhaldiyal, R, Petraglia, MD, Fevrier, S, Chanderton, II, Blickstein, JIB, Skinner, AR. 2002. Recent findings on the Acheulian of the Hunsgi and Baichbal valleys, Karnataka, with special reference to the Isampur excavation and its dating. Current Science 83(5):641647.Google Scholar
Pappu, S, Gunnell, Y, Akhilesh, K, Braucher, R, Taieb, M, Demory, F, Thouveny, N. 2011. Early Pleistocene presence of Acheulian hominins in South India. Science 331:15961599. doi: 10.1126/science.1200183.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Patnaik, R, Chauhan, PR, Rao, M., Blackwell, BAB, Skinner, AR, Sahni, A, Chauhan, MS, Khan, HS. 2009. New geochronological, paleoclimatological, and archaeological data from the Narmada Valley hominin locality, central India. Journal of Human Evolution 56:114133.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pilgrim, GE. 1905. On the occurrence of Elephas antiquus (namadicus) in the Godavari alluvium. Records of the Geological Survey of India 32:199218.Google Scholar
Preece, RC, Burleigh, R, Kerney, MP, Jarzembowski, EA. 1983. Radiocarbon age determinations of fossil Margaritifera auricularia (Spengler) from the River Thames in West London. Journal of Archaeological Science 10:249257.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rajaguru, SN, Mishra, S. 1997. Late Quaternary climatic changes in India: a geoarchaeological approach. Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association 16:2732.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rajagopalan, G, Vishnu-Mittre, BS, Mandal, TK. 1982. Birbal Sahni Institute radiocarbon measurements III. Radiocarbon 24(1):4553.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reimer, PJ, Austin, WEN, Bard, E, Bayliss, A, Blackwell, PG, Ramsey, CB, Butzin, M, Cheng, H, Edwards, RL, Friedrich, M, Grootes, PM, Guilderson, TP, Hajdas, I, Heaton, TJ, Hogg, AG, Hughen, KA, Kromer, B, Manning, SW, Muscheler, R, Palmer, JG, Pearson, C, van der Plicht, J, Reimer, RW, Richards, DA, Scott, EM, Southon, JR, Turney, CSM, Wacker, L, Adolphi, F, Büntgen, U, Capano, M, Fahrni, SM, Fogtmann-Schulz, A, Friedrich, R, Köhler, P, Kudsk, P, Miyake, F, Olsen, J, Reinig, F, Sakamoto, M, Sookdeo, A, Talamo, S. 2020. The IntCal20 Northern Hemisphere radiocarbon age calibration curve (0–55 cal kBP). Radiocarbon 62(4):725757. doi: 10.1017/RDC.2020.41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sali, SA. 1989. The Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic cultures of Maharahtra. Pune: Deccan College.Google Scholar
Sadakata, N, Maemoku, H, Rajaguru, SN, Mishra, S, Fujiwara, K. 1995. Late Quaternary environmental change in the Pravara Basin, northwestern Deccan upland, India. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Palaeoenvironmental Change in Tropical-Subtropical Monsoon Asia. Special Publication 24 of the Research Centre for Regional Geography, Hiroshima University. p. 43–56.Google Scholar
Sathe, V. 1989. Vertebrate palaeontology and prehistoric archaeology of the Manjra valley, Maharashtra [unpublished PhD thesis]. Pune: University of Poona.Google Scholar
Sathe, V. 2004. Droughts and fossils: a hypothetical perspective, In: Yasuda, Y, Shinde, V, editors. Monsoon and Civilisation: Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop of the ALDP (Asian Lake Drilling Programme). New Delhi: Roli Publications. p. 377382.Google Scholar
Sathe, V. 2005. Contexts of faunal assemblages and changed perspectives. Paper presented to Biennial Conference of European Association of South Asian Archaeologists, jointly organised by the British Museum and Institute of Archaeology, University College London, U.K., July 4–8, 2005. Abstract book.Google Scholar
Sathe, V. 2008. Discovery of Large Mammalian Fossils at Morgaon, District Pune, Maharashtra, Quaternary International 192:5261.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sathe, V. 2015. Discovery of a fossil bone bed in the Manjra valley, District Latur, Maharashtra. Bulletin of the Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute 75 (Platinum Jubilee Special Volume). p. 116.Google Scholar
Sathe, V. 2017. Smaller but not secondary: evidence of rodents in archaeological context in India. Ancient Asia 8:6. doi: 10.5334/aa.13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sathe, V. 2018. Dental histology and chemistry of prehistoric large mammalian fauna from India. In: Pellegrini, R, Parris, D, editors. New Jersey State Museum Investigations No. 6 (IV International Symposium of Palaeohistology, Post Symposium Publication, New Jersey State Museum, Trenton). p. 116.Google Scholar
Sathe, V. 2022. Bones, fossils and archaeology: interface between natural history and archaeology. In: Kamti, C, editor. Proceedings of the National Seminar on Ancient Art, Architecture and Archaeology of the Indian Subcontinent: 21st Century Appraisal. KLE Society’s Lingraj College, Belgavi, Karnataka. In press.Google Scholar
Sathe, V, Chakraborty, P. 2016. Morphometry and behavioural biology: as seen in the humerus of Pleistocene tiger (Panthera cf. Panthera tigris Pocock 1929) from Manjra Valley, India. 11th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology (ICVM 11), held Washington DC, U.S.A. 29th June to 3rd July 2016.Google Scholar
Sathe, V, Paddayya, K. 2013.The faunal background of the Stone Age cultures of Hunsgi and Baichbal valleys, southern Deccan. Bulletin Deccan College PGRI 72–73, 79–97.Google Scholar
Sathe, V, Rai, N, Agnihotri, S. 2018. Are the hippopotami victims of climate change in India? Paper presented in 13th International Conference of International Council for Archaeozoology (ICAZ), held at Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Turkey from 2nd to 7th September 2018. Abstract book. p. 236.Google Scholar
Sathe, VG, Salahuddin, Badam GL. 1986. A note on fossil bovids from Nittur, district Bellary, Karnataka. Journal of the Geological Society of India 28:414420.Google Scholar
Sharma, R, Umapathy, GR, Kumar, P, Ojha, S, Gargari, S, Joshi, R, Chopra, S, Kanjilal, D. 2019. AMS and upcoming geochronology facility at Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi, India. Nuclear Instrumentation and Methods in Physics Research B 438:124130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Szabo, B, Dalbey, Paddayya K. 1990. On the age of the Acheulian culture of the Hunsgi-Baichbal valleys. Bulletin of Deccan College Research Institute 50:317321.Google Scholar
Thakur, NG, Badam, GL, Varade, AM. 2018. Additional Quaternary faunal remains from the Middle-late Pleistocene deposits of Purna alluvial Basin, Maharashtra, central India Current Science 114:1402–1406.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turvey, S, Sathe, V, Crees, JJ, Jukar, AM, Chakraborty, P, Lister, A. 2021. Late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions in India: How much do we know? Quaternary Science Reviews 252(2021):106740. doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2020.106740.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Westway, R, Mishra, S, Deo, S, Bridgland, DR. 2011. Methods for determination of the age of Pleistocene tephra, derived from eruption of Toba, in central India J. Earth Syst. Sci. 120(3):503530.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wright, DK. 2017. Accuracy vs. precision: Understanding potential errors from radiocarbon dating on African landscapes. African Archaeological Review 34:303319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yates, T. 2016. Studies of non-marine mollusks for the selection of shell samples for radiocarbon dating. Radiocarbon 28:457463.CrossRefGoogle Scholar