Abstract Kibbanahalli is an important Lower Palaeolithic site-complex in southern Karnataka, a state in the southern region of Peninsular India. This region is crucial as it is somewhat centrally located between areas to the north, east and south, where decades of systematic Palaeolithic research has led to the establishment of firm cultural stratigraphy(ies) and even, in some cases, of chronology(ies). However, in stark contrast to these regions, southern Karnataka is often ignored in prehistoric research. Over 90 years of (intermittent) investigations at this site-complex have laid the foundations of our understanding of the Palaeolithic occupation of this region. It is of utmost importance to continue Palaeolithic research in this area as it is one of the fastest-growing industrializing and urbanizing zones of the world, with large population centres such as Bangalore (Bengaluru), Mysore (Mysuru) and others located here. Documenting the rich Palaeolithic heritage in this region before its eventual surrender to the forces of ‘development’ is thus a priority. Further, it is also necessary, if possible, to qualify and quantify the impact of these developmental processes on the visibility and preservation of the archaeological record, in general, and the Palaeolithic record, in particular, which might serve as a model for future research in similar regions. These recent investigations have led to the identification of many new Palaeolithic localities, and a secure identification of the technological attribution of their lithic assemblages. The presence of a uniform stratigraphic association of the archaeological horizon and similarities in their lithic collections has led to the reclassification of the many localities at Kibbanahalli and its vicinity into a site-complex. This paper reports on a series of field observations and remotely sensed data collected to understand the distribution pattern of the various Palaeolithic localities of this site-complex. Results of this study highlight the critical role played by modern-day land-use patterns on the observed distribution of the archaeological record, as well as its visibility. This observation challenges previous interpretations regarding the settlement patterns and strategies suggested for the Palaeolithic occupation of this region. Further, this study draws attention to the need and necessity to understand the role of various site formation processes, especially modern-day land-use activities, on the observed and observable patterns in the archaeological record, as well as the visibility, or lack thereof, of the archaeological record.

Abstract Rivers and river-borne deposits have always been a major attraction for hominins as an important source of sustenance and settlements. Hence, fluvial deposits have long been an important source of evidence for early human occupation throughout the Old World. Apart from being an important palaeoclimatic marker, fluvial sequences have provided archaeologists with frameworks for correlation, along with Palaeolithic markers discovered within them. Moreover, given the influx of sediments eroded and deposited by Indian rivers, these could have acted as a centre of hominin activities. Palaeolithic research in India has been concentrated around some of its major river valleys, which have yielded a rich record of hominin occupation. So far, 305 Palaeolithic sites have been reported from a gravel context throughout the country, yielding Lower to Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic evidence. However, most of the derived evidence is secondary deposits and stands contested based on its contextuality. Nevertheless, its importance as a source of information about hominin activity cannot be underestimated. This review presents a provisional synthesis of all of the Indian Palaeolithic sites reported from gravel contexts, thereby presenting scope for future multidisciplinary research at these localities.

Abstract In the Late Archean north-trending Closepet pluton, trains of euhedral K-feldspar phenocrysts and matrix-supported idiomorphic K-feldspar crystals in the central part of the pluton define oblique-to-pluton margin steep-dipping east/ENE-trending magmatic fabrics. The magmatic fabric is defined by phenocryst-rich and phenocryst-poor layers, with the euhedral porphyries continuous across the layers. The fabrics are near-orthogonal to the gently-dipping gneissic layers in the host gneisses. The fabrics curve adjacent to locally-developed north/NNE-trending melt-hosted dislocations parallel to the axial planes of horizontal/gently-plunging north-trending upright folds in the host gneisses. In the pluton interior, both fabrics in the intrusives formed at supra-solidus conditions, although the volume fraction of melts diminished drastically due to cooling/melt expulsion. At the pluton margin, the north-trending fabric is penetrative and post-dates magma solidification. Within the pluton, the major element oxides, rare earth elements, anorthite contents in plagioclase, and (Mg/Fe + Mg) ratios in biotite decrease with increasing SiO 2 from phenocryst-rich (up to 75% by volume) granodiorite to phenocryst-poor (<15 vol%) granite that broadly correspond to minimum melt composition. The chemical-mineralogical variations in the pluton is attributed to deformation-driven ascent of magma with heterogeneous crystal content, ascending at variable velocities (highest in crystal-poor magma) along oblique-to-pluton margin east/ENE-trending extensional fractures induced by dextral shearing.

Abstract The chemical composition of different rocks as well as volatile-bearing and volatile-free minerals has been used to assess the presence of fluids in the Closepet batholith and to estimate the intensity of the fluid–rock interactions. The data were processed using polytopic vector analysis (PVA). Additional data include measurements of water content in the structure of volatile-free minerals and an examination of growth textures. The composition of mineral domains indicated formation/transformation processes with common fluid–mineral interactions. In general, the results suggested that the processes occurred in a ternary system. Two end-members were likely magmas and the third was enriched in fluids. In contrast, analysis of the apatite domains indicated that they likely formed/transformed in a more complex, four-component system. This system was fluid-rich and included hybrid magma with a large mafic component. PVA implies that the fluids do not appear to come from one source, given their close affinity and partial association with mantle-derived fluids. A dynamic tectonic setting promoting heat influx and redistribution, and interaction of fluids suggests that the formation/transformation processes of minerals and rocks occurred in a hot-spot like environment.