Isampur
ಇಸಂಪುರ್ · Isampur Quarry · Isampur Acheulian
Acheulian to Southern Neolithic (1.20 Ma–1800 BCE)·Acheulian to Southern Neolithic (Deccan Neolithic, ash mound)·🇮🇳 Karnataka, Yadgir District, Shorapur Taluk, Isampur village, India
About
About Isampur
Isampur is India's largest Neolithic–Acheulian quarry-cum-workshop (1.2 Ma to 3rd millennium BCE) on a limestone–chert ridge near the Krishna tributary, where Deccan College (1988–2005 Korisettar) mapped 15 ha of Acheulian handaxe and Southern Neolithic blade factories with ash mound periphery. At 410 m Deccan trap pediment, the site shows continuous ochre-quarrying from Acheulian (1.2 Ma, Isampur Formation bifaces) to Neolithic chert blade workshops (3000 BCE) and ash mound cattle pens, demonstrating raw-material control 100 000 years before Sanganakallu. The stratified limestone pockets provide ESR dates linking to Hunsgi–Baichbal valley Acheulian.
Why it mattersLargest documented Neolithic quarry in India bridging 1.2 Ma Acheulian to Southern Neolithic; raw-material control before Sanganakallu.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Acheulian to Neolithic continuity—quarry memory or rediscovery
Theories
- 01Deccan trap chert monopole analogous to Yorkshire flint mines
- 02Ash mound cattle wealth funding blade workshop specialization
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.1.20 Ma (Acheulian lower), 3000–1800 BCE (Neolithic upper)
- Period
- Acheulian to Southern Neolithic (1.20 Ma–1800 BCE)
- Culture
- Acheulian to Southern Neolithic (Deccan Neolithic, ash mound)
- Builders
- Acheulian hominins to Southern Neolithic Deccan villagers
- Purpose
- Chert/limestone quarry and blade workshop controlling Krishna chert source, with cattle pen ash mounds
- Abandoned
- 1800 BCE (Chalcolithic dispersal)
- Rediscovered
- 1988–2005 Deccan College survey (Korisettar, Petraglia)
- Excavation
- Excavated
1.20 Ma
Acheulian Isampur Formation biface horizon (ESR)
3000–2500 BCE
Neolithic chert blade workshop (15 ha)
2500–1800 BCE
Ash mound cattle pens on ridge fringe
1988–2005
Korisettar systematic mapping
On the ground
Structures & features
16.5211° N · 76.7411° E · 410 m · 3 mapped features
Central Limestone Quarry Face
quarry12-m-deep limestone pocket with Acheulian biface horizon and Neolithic blade debitage, hammerstones in situ
16.5214° N · 76.7414° ENorthern Blade Workshop Pavement
workshop100×80 m chert blade core pavement with 10 000+ flakes and prepared cores
16.5217° N · 76.7411° ESouthern Ash Mound Fringe
mound4 ash mounds (6×4×1.5 m) of vitrified cattle dung, pen walls and Neolithic sherds
16.5208° N · 76.7414° E