ACHEULIAN CAVE, Susrondi

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A rectangular shaped, south-facing cave entrance (about 1.5 m wide and 2.5 m high) in laterite gives access to a daylight-lit cave chamber (about 4 or 5 m wide and, before excavation, up to 1 m in height) with two unexplored continuations, of which the one in the northwest is most likely dark and possibly low (initially up to 2 m wide) while the other (again initially up to 2 m wide) in the approximate east-southeast sort of -ends- (or not) about 2 m in. ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known cave name has been identified for what Ashok Marathe (note 1) christened Acheulian Cave (note 2). SITUATION: At Susrondi [note 3] in Palshet [note 4] near Guhagar [note 5], on the banks of a small perennial stream, near a waterfall, at a height of 85 m amsl and 2 km inland. … This location is known as Susrondi, 1 km east of Barbhai, in Palshet (MARATHE 2006: 1538, 1539-1540). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The entrance of the cave is facing the south, it is rectangular in shape, 1.5 m wide ad 2.5 m in height. There was a huge boulder (more than 3.5 m high) at the front of the entrance and therefore, it was difficult to enter the cave. It was necessary to clear the entrance for removing the debris from inside the cave. The boulder was cleared with the help of multiple mine blasts. The cave was completely filled with lateritic pebbly gravel and the ceiling was only 1 m high from the surface of the gravel. The area after entering the cave was 5 m - 4 m, further there were two passageways towards east and north. It is believed that the north passageway is very deep [long, extensive] in the laterite and runs many metres towards the end of the laterite plateau, while the eastern passageway is 2 m deep [sic! qua: long] (MARATHE 2006: 1540, figure 3: Plan of the cave).CAVE SEDIMENT: MARATHE (2006: 1540 with figure 4: Section of the cave): Two trenches were dug into the floor of the cave. The trench measuring 2 by 3 m was oriented in the east west direction. … Upper 1.5 m was anglar lateritic pebbly gravel with blocks of laterite. It was underlined [sic! probably for: underlain] with 0.6 m angular lateritic gravely silt with blocks of Deccan Trap and gradually grading into silty clay up to the bottom of the trench, i.e. 2.7 m from the top. The deposit is considerably finer and graded. Acheulian artefacts were discovered at a depth of 2.4 to 2.7 m level from the top. Below 3.2 m subsurface water-level was encountered and the deposits grades into reddish brown mottled clay. Therefore, a 1 by 1 m step trench was dug towards the eastern side at 1.2 m below the first trench. It was dug to a depth of 2.2 m from the top and at this level subsurface water-level was encountered and therefore, it was not possible to dig further (note 6). ARCHAEOLOGY: A 2.2 m deep (MARATHE 2006: 1540 figure 4: Section of the cave = soil stratigraphy) trial trench yielded a number of 54 stone tools (litic implements) represented by hand axes, cleaves, picks, choppers, scrapers (note 7). he discovery of a Late Acheulian cave occupation at Susrondi in Palshet near Guhagar, on the banks of a small perennial stream, near a waterfall, at a height of 85 m amsl and 2 km inland is the first of its kind on the more than 7500 km long coastline or on the Deccan plateau [note 8]. On the basis of observations made on tool typology, geomorphology and lithostratigraphy, it is shown that early man occupied the cave during early Late Pleistocene (MARATHE (2006: 1538). GEOMORPHOLOGY: In the absence of precise work, particularly in the off-shore zones, it is not possible to establish accurately the trend and nature of the eustatic changes. The picture of the sea level changes during the Quaternary is hazy. The laterite, the gravels, the alluvium and the littoral deposits are the relic indicators of the palaeoprocesses. In the same way, erosional / depositional activities and weathering / leaching processes have varied in the intensity and extent from time to time. Similarly, the hypothsis of the polycyclic origin of the landscape perceives minimum five cycles of lateral planation and intermittent [sic! more likely: intermediate] incision during Neogene and Pleistocene period. The deep weathering and stripping of laterite presumes a major episode of dissection and stripping during late Neogene or early Pleistocene period. The succeeding erosional history of mid- and late Pleistocene period is totally blank, as no records exist in the landscape. During the terminal phase of Pleistocene the intensity of erosion was high due to low sea level. The episode terminated with the widespread deposition during the early Holocene epoch. At present, all the rivers are incised, most likely due to ubiquitous mid-Holocene rejuvenation. In the absence of high level gravel and due to the absence of raised beaches, beach rocks, oysters on the coast, it is difficult to comment on the depositional history. On the basis of above-mentioned background of the palaeoprocesses in the region, tratigraphy of cave deposits and tool typology, it can be deduced that: The stratigraphy in a well section near Velneshwar shows that the entire coastal fringe area around Guhagar and Palshet was at a low elevation during the Late Tertiary. The region attained its present elevation of 120 m amsl due to Neogene / Early Pleistocene uplift. Thus, the drainage and the karstic caves [note 9] in this region are therefore of the early mid-Pleistocene age. These observations are in concurrence with the outcome of earlier studies carried out around Ratnagiri (RAJAGURU & MARATHE 1984). The cave sediments bring to light interesting stratigraphy and contemporary palaeoenvironment. The cave was occupied by early man during the early Late Pleistocene (approximately earlier than 90 Ka BP) when the sea level was slightly higher than that today. This is explained by the lower fine-grained mottled clay (about 80 cm thick). Acheulian man occupied the cave during this phase. The situation continued even uring his occupancy. Immediately after this phase, a rubble deposit (1.5 m thick) occurred, capping the artefacts-bearing layer. The rubble deposit indicates increased intensity of mechanical weathering in response to relative degree of aridity prevailing in the area during the Last Glacial Maxima, when the sea level was low by at least 100 m and the climate was largely cold and dry [note 10] (MARATHE 2006: 1542-1543). CAVE POTENTIAL (MARATHE 2006: 1540, figure 3: Plan of the cave): One unexplored, most likely dark and possibly low lead (again initially up to 2 m wide) continues unexplored towards the approximate north-west while another (initially up to 2 m wide) aariving from the approximate east-southeast, sort of -ends- 2 m from the chamber: … there were two passageways towards east and north. It is believed that the north passageway is very deep [read: long, extensive] in the laterite and runs many metres towards the end of the laterite plateau, while the eastern passageway is 2 deep (read: horizontally deep, or: long).uring his occupancy. Immediately after this phase, a rubble deposit (1.5 m thick) occurred, capping the artefacts-bearing layer. The rubble deposit indicates increased intensity of mechanical weathering in response to relative degree of aridity prevailing in the area during the Last Glacial Maxima, when the sea level was low by at least 100 m and the climate was largely cold and dry [note 10] (MARATHE 2006: 1542-1543). CAVE POTENTIAL (MARATHE 2006: 1540, figure 3: Plan of the cave): One unexplored, most likely dark and possibly low lead (again initially up to 2 m wide) continues unexplored towards the approximate north-west while another (initially up to 2 m wide) aariving from the approximate east-southeast, sort of -ends- 2 m from the chamber: … there were two passageways towards east and north. It is believed that the north passageway is very deep [read: long, extensive] in the laterite and runs many metres towards the end of the laterite plateau, while the eastern passageway is 2 uring his occupancy. Immediately after this phase, a rubble deposit (1.5 m thick) occurred, capping the artefacts-bearing layer. The rubble deposit indicates increased intensity of mechanical weathering in response to relative degree of aridity prevailing in the area during the Last Glacial Maxima, when the sea level was low by at least 100 m and the climate was largely cold and dry [note 10] (MARATHE 2006: 1542-1543). CAVE POTENTIAL (MARATHE 2006: 1540, figure 3: Plan of the cave): One unexplored, most likely dark and possibly low lead (again initially up to 2 m wide) continues unexplored towards the approximate north-west while another (initially up to 2 m wide) aariving from the approximate east-southeast, sort of -ends- 2 m from the chamber: … there were two passageways towards east and north. It is believed that the north passageway is very deep [read: long, extensive] in the laterite and runs many metres towards the end of the laterite plateau, while the eastern passageway is 2 uring his occupancy. Immediately after this phase, a rubble deposit (1.5 m thick) occurred, capping the artefacts-bearing layer. The rubble deposit indicates increased intensity of mechanical weathering in response to relative degree of aridity prevailing in the area during the Last Glacial Maxima, when the sea level was low by at least 100 m and the climate was largely cold and dry [note 10] (MARATHE 2006: 1542-1543). CAVE POTENTIAL (MARATHE 2006: 1540, figure 3: Plan of the cave): One unexplored, most likely dark and possibly low lead (again initially up to 2 m wide) continues unexplored towards the approximate north-west while another (initially up to 2 m wide) aariving from the approximate east-southeast, sort of -ends- 2 m from the chamber: … there were two passageways towards east and north. It is believed that the north passageway is very deep [read: long, extensive] in the laterite and runs many metres towards the end of the laterite plateau, while the eastern passageway is 2 uring his occupancy. Immediately after this phase, a rubble deposit (1.5 m thick) occurred, capping the artefacts-bearing layer. The rubble deposit indicates increased intensity of mechanical weathering in response to relative degree of aridity prevailing in the area during the Last Glacial Maxima, when the sea level was low by at least 100 m and the climate was largely cold and dry [note 10] (MARATHE 2006: 1542-1543). CAVE POTENTIAL (MARATHE 2006: 1540, figure 3: Plan of the cave): One unexplored, most likely dark and possibly low lead (again initially up to 2 m wide) continues unexplored towards the approximate north-west while another (initially up to 2 m wide) aariving from the approximate east-southeast, sort of -ends- 2 m from the chamber: … there were two passageways towards east and north. It is believed that the north passageway is very deep [read: long, extensive] in the laterite and runs many metres towards the end of the laterite plateau, while the eastern passageway is 2 deep (read: horizontally deep, or: long).