Were there stone-tipped armatures in the South Asian Middle Paleolithic?

The point is a commonly recognized type of flaked stone artifact in global prehistoric records. In South Asia, points have been reported from numerous Middle Paleolithic assemblages. However, throughout much of the Paleolithic, South Asia is conspicuously lacking in formalized points when compared to Africa and western Eurasia. It is often assumed that South Asian Middle Paleolithic points reflect the use of stone-tipped spears in prehistoric hunting activities. However, such a relationship has never been firmly established. Why are South Asian Middle Paleolithic points distinct in their overall indistinctiveness? If some Middle Paleolithic and Middle Stone Age points in Africa and western Eurasia fulfill criteria that do reflect the use of stone-tipped armatures, how do Middle Paleolithic points from South Asia compare? This study ascertains whether a small pan-South Asian sample of points might have been used to tip Middle Paleolithic projectile weaponry. Putative South Asian Middle Paleolithic projectile points were assessed for tip cross-sectional area (TCSA), impact damage, basal modification and point angle from published sources. The results indicate that despite appearances, many South Asian Middle Paleolithic points cannot be ruled out as thrusting/throwing spear tips. Some probable causes of the inconspicuous expression of points in the archaeological record of South Asia are considered. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.