Telangana schoolboy discovers early Palaeolithic stone tool

The stone tool, measuring 12.5 cm in length, 8.5 cm in width, and 3.5 cm in thickness, was found amidst small hillocks in the northern and southern regions of Burkagaddakotha.

Hyderabad: A sixth-grade student, Dobbali Sivakumar from Dadapur Zilla Parishad High School has stumbled-upon a discovery that could perhaps be a significant one in the field of archaeology.

The youngster has unearthed an Achulian (Early Palaeolithic) stone tool and sensing that he was holding a part of archaic history, quickly brought it to the attention of his teachers A. Santakumar and M. Krishna, along with members of the Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam.

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The stone tool, measuring 12.5 cm in length, 8.5 cm in width, and 3.5 cm in thickness, was found amidst small hillocks in the northern and southern regions of Burkagaddakotha. Notably, the southern hillock is rich with ‘Palugu’ (Quartz) stones while a granite boulder dominates the northern landscape, with a pond situated in the western lowlands.

International Archaeologist Ravi Korisettar, hailing from Karnataka, and Sriramoju Haragopal, Convener of Kotha Telangana Charitra Brundam, examined photographs of the rock tool and confirmed its classification as an Early Palaeolithic or Achulian stone axe.

The term “Achuelian” originates from the French ‘Achulein,’ derived from the type site of Saint-Achueliel, and is linked to stone tool production associated with Homo erectus. Remarkably, Haragopal estimates the tool to be at least 100,000 years old.