Description

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Context

A rare megalithic burial chamber with over 2,000-year-old pottery, bone fragments & iron tools has been unearthed at Manimoola village in Kerala during trenching work under Jal Jeevan Mission.

Key Highlights

Relics were uncovered accidentally during trench work for Jal Jeevan Mission in Manimoola, Bandadukka.

Artefacts estimated to be 2,000 years old from Megalithic period.

Findings

Burial artefacts black ware pot, four-legged jars, large clay vessels, bone fragments.

Iron objects stove stand with support stones, knife-like tools.

Bone fragments found intact in sealed urns suggests advanced burial preservation methods.

Site Names in Folklore Pathaya Kallu, Pandava Guha, Peerangi Guha, Muniyara, Swamikundu, Kalpatthayam.

Cultural Significance Confirms Iron Age or pre-Iron Age funerary practices in South India.

Preservation Artefacts handed over to Archaeology Department for further scientific study.

What Are Megaliths?

Aspect	Details
Definition	Megalith literally means large stone. Megaliths are large stone structures or monuments built in prehistoric times often for ritual or burial use.
Chronology	Most Indian megaliths date to Iron Age (1500 BCE–500 BCE); some trace back to 2000 BCE (Late Chalcolithic period).
Cultural Period	Protohistoric to early historic periods; used by tribal & early agrarian societies across peninsular & central India.
Construction Materials	Large stones, granite slabs, unworked or semi worked stones, terracotta jars & iron implements.
Purpose / Function	Sepulchral (Burial): Grave markers, tomb chambers. Non Sepulchral (Commemorative): Memorial stones, territorial markers.
Burial Practices	Primary (full body) & secondary (cremated remains) burials. Sometimes covered with cairns or mounds.
Architectural Features	Rock cut chambers Pit burials with jars Underground chambers covered with heavy stones
Iconography & Artifacts	Pottery (black & red ware), iron tools, beads, weapons, bone fragments & terracotta lids.
Regional Styles	Kerala: Capstones, chamber tombs Karnataka: Dolmens, Menhirs Maharashtra: Stone circles Tamil Nadu: Urn burials
Religious / Cultural Use	Likely used for ancestor worship, clan identity, spiritual beliefs in life after death or astronomy-related rituals.
Ethnographic Continuity	Similar burial customs & stone worship traditions persist among tribal groups in India (e.g. Kurumbas, Gonds).
Distribution in India	Widespread in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir.

Major Types of Megalithic Monuments in India

Type	Description	Burial/Non-Burial	Common Regions
Dolmenoid Cist	Stone box like burial chambers with capstones	Burial	Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka
Cairn Circle	Circular stone arrangements around burial sites	Burial	Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka
Urns/Sarcophagi	Terracotta containers for cremated remains or skeletal burials	Burial	Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
Capstones	Mushroom-shaped burial stones found especially in Kerala	Burial	Kerala
Menhirs	Tall upright stones possibly commemorative or ritualistic	Non-Burial	Northeast India, Telangana
Rock-cut Chambers	Hollowed burial chambers directly in rock	Burial	Kerala (e.g. Manimoola)
Stone Circles	Multiple standing stones arranged in a circular pattern	Burial	Maharashtra, Karnataka

Major Megalithic Sites in India

State/Region	Site Name(s)	Notable Features
Kerala	Muniyara, Thrissur, Manimoola	Capstones, burial jars, rock-cut chambers
Tamil Nadu	Adichanallur, Kodumanal	Urn burials, iron implements, beads
Karnataka	Hire Benkal, Brahmagiri, Maski	Dolmens, cairn circles, ash mounds
Andhra Pradesh	Nagarjunakonda	Cairn burials, cultural overlap with early Buddhist sites
Maharashtra	Junapani, Mahurjhari, Naikund	Stone circles, alignments, iron & copper artefacts
Uttar Pradesh	Koldihwa, Banda, Mirzapur	Early farming settlements with megalithic features
Jharkhand	Seraikela	Stone burials with iron artefacts
Uttarakhand	Deodhoora (Almora)	Cist burials & Menhirs
Jammu & Kashmir	Burzahom, Waztal	Pit dwellings, stone tools, burial urns with skeletal remains

Artefacts Typically Found at Megalithic Sites Cultural & Historical Significance of Megaliths

Category	Artefact Description	Material	Functional Significance
Ceramics	Black ware pots, urns, jars	Terracotta	Food storage, burial containers
Metal Objects	Iron knives, stove stands, tools	Iron	Cooking, cutting, ritual
Structural Stones	Capstones, menhirs, dolmen slabs	Granite/Basalt	Burial or ritual architecture
Organic Remains	Bone fragments	Human remains	Cremation or extended burial practices
Symbolic Motifs	Etchings or carvings on stones	Various	Possibly tribal totems or religious symbols

Cultural & Historical Significance of Megaliths

Aspect	Significance
Chronology	Mostly from Iron Age (1500–500 BCE) but some from 2000 BCE (Late Neolithic)
Religious Practices	Evidences of ancestor worship, cremation & burial rituals
Technology	Advanced use of iron, pottery & rock-cutting tools
Social Structure	Differentiated burials suggest hierarchical society
Geographical Spread	Found pan-India, reflecting diverse regional expressions
Link to Folklore	Many megaliths linked to local legends (e.g., Pandava caves in Kerala)

Jal Jeevan Mission

Parameter	Details
Launch Year	2019
Ministry	Ministry of Jal Shakti
Objective	To provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household by 2024
Tagline	“Har Ghar Jal”
Coverage Goal	100% FHTC coverage in rural India
Funding Pattern (Centre:State)	90:10 for NE & Himalayan States, 50:50 for others, 100% for UTs
Key Features	Source sustainability, water quality monitoring, greywater management, community participation
Technologies Used	IoT-based monitoring, solar-powered pumps, GIS mapping
Recent Achievement (as of 2024)	Over 70% of rural households have FHTCs
Implementation Mechanism	Village-level Pani Samitis for operation & maintenance

Regional Architectural Styles in Megalithic Constructions (India)

Region	Distinctive Features	Monument Types Found
Kerala	Laterite stone use; capstones (mushroom-shaped); dolmens; urns in burial caves	Dolmens, Capstones, Urn burials, Cairns
Tamil Nadu	Terracotta urns, large dolmens with port-holes; rock-cut chambers	Dolmens, Sarcophagi, Cairn Circles
Karnataka	Megaliths built on rocky outcrops; burial cairns with alignments	Cairns, Dolmenoid cists, Menhirs
Andhra Pradesh	Iron-age pottery; painted urns; slab-cist graves	Cists, Urn burials, Cairns, Menhirs
Maharashtra	Black-&-red ware pottery; extensive cairn fields	Cairns, Pit burials, Menhirs
Uttar Pradesh	Use of local sandstone; burial tumuli with mounds	Cairns, Sarcophagi
Jharkhand	Small dolmenoid structures, iron tool deposits	Dolmenoid cists
Jammu & Kashmir	Pit burials with bone tools; circular stone arrangements	Pit Burials, Circular Megaliths

Indian vs Global Megalithic Structures

Criteria	Indian Megaliths	Global Megaliths
Time Period	1500 BCE – 500 BCE (Iron Age)	Europe: Neolithic to Bronze Age (~3000–1000 BCE)
Purpose	Primarily burial & ancestor worship	Burial, ritual, astronomical (e.g., Stonehenge)
Material Used	Local stone, laterite, granite, terracotta urns	Sandstone, limestone, bluestone
Architectural Types	Dolmens, cists, cairns, menhirs, sarcophagi	Dolmens, passage graves, henges, stone circles
Ritualistic Elements	Bone fragments, iron tools, pottery with ashes	Often associated with cremation burials or solar alignments
Examples in India	Brahmagiri (Karnataka), Adichanallur (TN), Manimoola (KL)	Stonehenge (UK), Carnac Stones (France), Newgrange (Ireland)
Construction Technique	Stone slab stacking, burial pits, cairn formations	Dry stone stacking, corbelled roofing in tombs
Astronomical Orientation	Less commonly emphasized	Frequently present (e.g., solstice alignments in Stonehenge)

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Sources:

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PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Discuss cultural & archaeological importance of Megalithic structures in India highlighting regional variations & comparing them with global megalithic traditions.