Early History of Orissa

Author(s): Amarchand Mittal
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society

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AN EARLY HISTORY OF ORISSA
No. 54--Palaeolith, flat, discoid, worked edge, brown
tinted quartzite-(Angul). These are all roughly chipped quartzite tools similar to those which have been obtained so abundantly in certain districts of the Madras State and in smaller numbers in Bengal, Madhya Pradesa and other parts of the country.1 Furthermore, not only is there a resemblance in form but also in material, and in some instances, atleast in the case of the Bengal specimens, they were picked up at localities far remote from the nearest possible source of origin, thus, necessitating some human means of transport. It can, therefore, be concluded that there was some connection between the peoples who manufactured these implements. But the palaeoliths discovered were so few that no definite conclusion could be based on them regarding the palaeo. lithic culture in Orissa, though efforts ware occasionally made in that direction.
In 1923, however, Parmanand Acharya, thenState Archaeologist in Mayurbhanj, drew attention of the Archaeological Survey of India to the occurrence of lithic implements in that State. Later on, R. D. Banerji visited the site at Baidipur (in Mayurbhanj) and expressed his opinion that the State was rich both in palaeoliths and neoliths.5
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But it was not until 1939 that the exact richness of the area in lithic industry came to light, when Eugene
1. V. Ball-Pro. of As. Soc., 1876, p. 394; J. C. Brown, Ind. Mus.
Cat., 1917, p. 68; R. D. Banerji, H.O., I, p. 28f. 2. Ibid. 3. Ibid. 4. Annual Report of the ASI, 1923-24. pp. 100-101, 6. H.O., I, pp. 35-47.