Palaeolithic assemblages associated with Youngest Toba Tuff deposits from the upper Gundlakamma River basin, Andhra Pradesh, India

AbstractArchaeological and geological remains associated with the Youngest Toba Tuff (YTT) deposits in India are seen as significant proxies for reconstructing (1) initial modern human colonization of India and (2) possible climatic impacts of the Toba super-eruption of 74 ka on the Indian climate and hominin behaviour. In order to gain further insights into the environmental impacts and behavioural adaptations of human populations in India before and after the Toba eruption, we investigated archaeological horizons associated with the Toba ash beds along the Gundlakamma basin in Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Here, lithic artefacts were identified below and above the YTT deposits. The YTT deposits in the Gundlakamma River basin have a maximum thickness of 50 cm, comparatively thinner than those at the better investigated valleys of the adjacent Jurreru and Sagileru in Andhra Pradesh and the Son, Madhya Pradesh, India. Our surveys indicate that the Palaeolithic assemblages associated with YTT deposits from the Gundlakamma River basin can provide significant insights into the issues and debates surrounding the Toba archaeology.