Q. With reference to the apparent scarcity of Lower Paleolithic sites in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, consider the following statements:
- Repeated deposition of alluvial sediments may bury older occupation surfaces and lithic assemblages beneath younger layers, reducing their archaeological visibility.
- Frequent channel migration and sediment reworking can transport, scatter, or redeposit stone artefacts, thereby obscuring their original archaeological context.
- The relative scarcity of exposed bedrock and knappable raw-material sources in extensive stretches of the alluvial plains may have constrained the formation and visibility of lithic sites.
- The absence of extensive cave and rock-shelter systems across much of the plains means that fewer protected depositional environments are available for long-term preservation of archaeological remains.
- The scarcity of discovered sites establishes that Lower Paleolithic populations were largely absent from the Indo-Gangetic Plains, since buried artefacts would generally not survive under thick alluvial deposits.
Q. Consider the following pairs regarding Lower Paleolithic archaeological contexts in India:
| Archaeological context | Likely significance |
|---|---|
| 1. River terraces | Potential preservation of artefact-bearing Pleistocene deposits |
| 2. Quartzite-bearing uplands | Availability of suitable raw material for tool manufacture |
| 3. Rock shelters | Potentially protected spaces for repeated occupation and preservation |
| 4. Active floodplains | Generally higher probability of finding undisturbed primary occupation surfaces |