Assessing Acheulean biface variability at Jalindri: morphometric evidence for localized technological adaptations along the southeastern margins of the Thar Desert, Rajasthan

This study reports the newly discovered Acheulean site of Jalindri (JLD), along the Great Boundary Fault (GBF) zone at the southeastern margins of the Thar Desert. A techno-typological and morphometric analysis of Large Cutting Tools (LCTs), primarily bifacial implements, was undertaken to examine variability within the assemblage and assess patterns of blank selection and reduction strategies. Morphometric analysis reveals considerable variability within the assemblage, strongly linked to differences in blank selection and degrees of façonnage. These patterns are interpreted as reflecting localized technological adaptations influenced by raw material availability, landscape context, and tool reduction strategies. Comparison of key morphometric indices with published datasets from the Indian subcontinent demonstrates that the JLD bifaces fall within the broader range of Acheulean variability, while also displaying distinct local characteristics. Integration of these results further contributes to longstanding debates on Acheulean variability, technological standardization, and regional adaptation. This study expands the known distribution of Acheulean occupational horizons in northwestern India and highlights the importance of marginal environments in shaping early hominin technological behaviour.