Soan Culture

A Paleolithic culture distributed in the northwestern part of the Indian continent. It was so named because it was discovered during an investigation of the Soan River basin, a tributary of the Indus River. This culture is divided into the Pre-Soan culture (Second Himalayan Glacial Period), which is characterized by large flake tools with marked roll marks; the Early Soan culture (Second Interglacial Period), which is characterized by one-sided or two-sided hammer tools, large flake tools, and stone cores; and the Late Soan culture (Third Interglacial Period), which is characterized by smaller hammer tools and flake tools with adjusted striking surfaces. It is generally considered to be contrasted with the Madras culture of southern India, which is characterized by hand-held hammers, but in recent years, a different type of hammer culture has been discovered in central and southern India.

[Hajime Kataoka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

インド大陸北西部に分布する旧石器文化。インダス川の支流のソアンSoan川流域の調査で明らかにされたのでこの名がある。この文化は、転磨痕(てんまこん)の著しい大形の剥片(はくへん)石器を主体とする先ソアン文化（ヒマラヤ第二氷期）、片面ないし両面加工の打器、大形剥片石器、石核などからなるソアン前期文化（第二間氷期）、小形化した打器と調整打面をもつ剥片石器などのソアン後期文化（第三間氷期）とに編年されている。一般に、握槌(にぎりつち)を主体とする南インドのマドラス文化と対置して考えられているが、近年、系統を異にする打器文化が、中央および南インドで知られてきている。

［片岡　肇］

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