The Early Paleolithic Go Da Site and the Bifacial Lithic Industries of Southeast Asia
Abstract
The lithic industry of the stratified site Go Da in Central Vietnam is described, and its place among the contemporaneous Early Paleolithic sites of East and Southeast Asia is determined. Results of a morphological technotypological analysis of the Go Da assemblage are provided. Go Da is attributed to the An Khe-type sites situated in the eponymous area of Vietnam. Cores and tools were made from pebbles, less often from fl akes. Primary reduction focused on simple pebble cores with natural striking-platforms, whereas radial cores were less common. Predom inant among the tools are picks, scrapers of various modifi cations, choppers, and chopping tools, as well as denticulate and notched tools; also, bifaces occur. These tools belong to a single homogeneous industry, showing common features in primary reduction, preparation, and design of key artifacts. On the basis of analysis of the stratigraphic sequence of Go Da and the absolute date of 806 ± 22 ka BP, generated by the potassium-argon analysis of tektites, it is proposed that the site is older than other dated locations with the An Khe industry. Apparently, it resulted from a convergent evolution of the pebble-fl ake industry introduced by the fi rst wave of Homo erectus from Africa. Go Da and other An Khe sites likely belong to a vast habitation zone of Southeast Asian hominins with technologically and typologically similar industries dating to the boundary between the Lower and the Middle Pleistocene.
About the Authors
A. V. Kandyba
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17, Novosibirsk, 630090
A. M. Chekha
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17, Novosibirsk, 630090
Gia Doi Nguyen
Institute of Archaeology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
Viet Nam
Viet Nam
Phan Chu Chin 61, Hanoi
Khac Su Nguyen
Institute of Archaeology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
Viet Nam
Viet Nam
Phan Chu Chin 61, Hanoi
S. A. Gladyshev
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17, Novosibirsk, 630090
A. P. Derevianko
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17, Novosibirsk, 630090
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Review
For citations:
Kandyba A.V., Chekha A.M., Nguyen G., Nguyen K., Gladyshev S.A., Derevianko A.P. The Early Paleolithic Go Da Site and the Bifacial Lithic Industries of Southeast Asia. Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia. 2021;49(4):3-14. https://doi.org/10.17746/1563-0110.2021.49.4.003-014
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