Late Pleistocene environment around the Hominid population in Narmada Basin, Central India

In the present work, an attempt has been made to study the microvertebrate and the invertebrate fauna of a hominid site in Narmada valley, Central India for the first time. Faunal elements recovered from the two sections, Bhedaghat and Devakachar, include dentries, bones, vertebrae and spines of murid rodents, agamid lizards, Cyprinidae and Channidae fishs, and gastropod and pelecypod shells. Taphonomic investigations and palaeoecological interpretations carried out with the help of the fossil fauna reveal that a warm humid climate prevailed during the Upper Pleistocene in the Narmada valley which favoured the growth of the hominid population. This region also gave refuge to the animals running away from the harsh, cold climatic conditions to the north. Presence of a large water body in the area is indicated by the palaeoecological investigations which further helped the hominid population to flourish in the area. © E. Sehweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Nägele u. Obermiller), 2006.