Kollampara, near Nedumangad, has thrown up a quartzite ‘crushing stone’ from the Neolithic era which sheds light on the prehistoric culture of southern Kerala.
The discovery was made by A.S. Vysakh, Assistant Professor and Research Supervisor, Postgraduate Department of History and Research Centre, Sree Narayana College, Chempazhanthy, and Rahul Raj, a PG student of the college, during an excavation at Moonamkuzhi, Kollampara.
Such crushing stones were used for breaking nuts, seeds, bones and other hard substances. The discovery indicates that a Neolithic culture prevailed in the region, Mr. Vysakh said, adding that the stone was found two feet below the earth during the dig.
The region where the quartzite tool was discovered is lateritic, he said. “So this find can be included in the category of ‘selected stones,’ meaning that it is foreign to that particular region and was brought from elsewhere.”
Heavy utilisation
The oval-shaped, 10.16 cm-long crushing stone weighs 0.580 grams. The battering marks at both ends are indicative of heavy utilisation and characterise a working implement. The slightly weathered tool exhibits signs of having been ground to shape after which the surface was crudely polished, according to him.
The area where the tool was discovered is generally hilly and was forested until about a century ago. “Nedumangad and its neighbouring regions Vithura, Anad, Nanniyode, Tholicode and Peringamala are home to the Kani tribals. So the discovery of a Neolithic tool from this region is of no wonder and presumably indicates pre-historic settlement,” he added.
In India, Neolithic culture dates back to almost 7,000 BCE. The dates of the southern Neolithic sites mostly fall within the broad time bracket of circa 2,900-1,000 BCE. Neolithic implements are distributed over a large part of south India, including Kerala.