Acheulian Occupational Pattern and Human Adaptation Strategy in Damdongri, District Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, India

Niharika Srivastava* and S.B. Ota

The Acheulian site of Damdongri, located in District Raisen, is one of the most important archaeological sites in the subcontinent for understanding early human occupational patterns and adaptive strategies during the Lower Palaeolithic period. To understand the occupational pattern of the Acheulian culture in the area, nearly 70,000 square meters were thoroughly surveyed, and 59 artefact clusters were documented using specific parameters. Additionally, the preliminary study conducted on the excavated site has identified three successive Acheulian phases based on stratigraphical context, taphonomical aspects, and associated non-cultural geological proxies. Based on these successive phases, the clusters have been categorized. The analysis of each cluster focused mainly on its size, density, and location, as well as its spatial arrangement in relation to the landscape and the identified phases of occupation. The preliminary sedimentological analysis, along with palaeoclimatic events during the Acheulian period and landscape changes, has been used to visualize the spatial patterning of clusters representing three occupational phases. This analysis revealed a correlation between artefact density and these occupational phases. This demonstrates a dynamic interplay between hominin behaviour and environmental constraints, providing insights into how early humans organised their activities within the landscape to optimise their survival as part of an adaptation strategy during the Acheulian period.