Excavating Attirampakkam

History of Research

Our Aims 

Methodology

Preliminary Results

Further Reading

Acknowledgements

Excavating Attirampakkam 

Preliminary Results: Watch this space for more updates 

Attirampakkam is a multicultural stratified open air site with a total deposit of around 9 m in thickness. It has yielded evidence of Lower and Middle  Palaeolithic industries, and a microlithic component in the upper levels. A total of 6 distinct layers could be identified: Laminated clays (Layer 6; Acheulian); overlain by ferruginous gravels (Layer 5; Acheulian); clayey-silts (Layers,3,4: Acheulian-Middle Palaeolithic); fine ferruginous gravels (Layer 2; Middle Palaeolithic); and clayey-silts (Layer 1; sterile).

The most significant discovery was that of Lower Palaeolithic Acheulian artefacts in Layer 6, laminated clays, previously thought to be of Cretaceous age. Our studies, show that these are representative of a Pleistocene palaeofloodplain situation, and that the tools are in situ. Acheulian tools from this deposit are all on quartzites, and comprise largely large cutting tools and flakes, with few cores. 

The tools were made elsewhere and brought to the site to be used during this phase. At a depth of 3.90 m, large handaxes and flakes were found in a sandy-pebbly bed, along with sandstone blocks and wood fossils. These appear to represent an earlier phase within the Acheulian. Fragmentary shell remains along with tools were also noted. An interesting phenomenon was that of vertically embedded artefacts as seen in the image below. 

The overlying ferruginous gravels (Layer 5) are rich in Acheulian assemblages, including cores, tools and debitage. At the contact horizon between Layers 5 and 6, a set of impressions was noted, some of which can be attributed to foot impressions of a young elephant. Large boulder cores, with hammerstones, debitage and tools, clearly prove that extensive manufacturing was carried out here. Overlying Layer 5, tools continue within clayey-silts of Layers, 3 and 4. Once again, there is a high percentage of finished tools, with few cores or debitage.  

Layer 2, has an assemblage which corresponds to the Indian Middle Palaeolithic. It is rich in cores, tools and debitage, which along with a few conjoinable tools, point to on-site manufacture.

The discovery of three fossil teeth is significant, as fossils are rare at Indian Lower and Middle Palaeolithic sites. These include an upper molar of Bovini, possibly representing Bubalus (water buffalo) or Bos; a lower molar of Equus sp., and a left lower molar, Caprinae or Boselaphini (Boselaphus : nilgai). These indicate at least three different fossil species suggestive of an open and wet landscape.