Burials

It is said that the practice of burying dead people started some 3000 years ago in India. Megaliths or large stones were used to indicate the place where the dead were buried. We still find this practice in various cultures of India. However, 3000 years ago, people living in southern regions, Kashmir, and Deccan plateau were involved in such burial practices. The people who died were buried with the help of pots known as Red and Black Ware. In the excavations carried out by historians to study burials, it was found that the belongings of the dead people were buried with them.

How did burials indicate social difference?

• The practice of leaving the belongings of the dead people with them also highlights the social difference
• It is because we find gold and copper beads along with other precious items near some skeletons
• However, other skeletons only have earthen pots and less valuable items near them

Multiple bodies in the same chamber

• The process of burying multiple dead bodies in the same chamber is also found in some places
• Historians believe that the people who belonged to the same family were buried in them
• A hole or opening was created in the chamber so that it could be used to insert the dead bodies of other family members after their death

Stone Boulders

• On some burial sites, archeologists found a large Megalith surrounded by smaller stone boulders
• It was concluded that such signs indicate that burials are beneath the ground

Things found on the burial sites

• Besides the burials, archeologists found conch shells, weapons made of iron and animal skeletons, earthen pots with black and red colors, copper, gold, stone shells, etc
• Even ornaments of gold and stone were found near the skeletons
• In one of the burial sites at Brahmagiri, archeologists found 2 stone beads, one conch shell, and 33 gold beads. However, there were only pots beside the other skeletons

Inamgaon and its significance in studying burials

• In Maharashtra, a state located in the Western part of India, a village of the post-Harappan period was found
• When excavated, the place reflected burials where people were buried in pits after their death
• Even vessels containing food and water were kept beside the body
• The burial practices at Inamgaon provided strange facts to the archeologists
• These burial sites were strangely found either inside or outside the verandah of the house. Megaliths i.e. huge rocks were used to mark burials of Inamgaon as well

Occupation At Inamgaon

• Agriculture was among the primary occupations at Inamgaon
• It is confirmed through the excavated sites that reflect crops like wheat, barley, pulses, rice, sesame, etc
• Even remains of fruits like amla, ber, jamun, and dates were found in these burial sites

Animals found At Inamgaon

• Aquatic Animals – Crabs, fishes, turtles, and crocodiles were also found in the sites near to the burials
• Terrestrial Animals – Evidence of cattle, horse, dog, sheep, donkey, buffalo, goat, antelope, mongoose, black bug, spotted deer, sambhar, pig, and hare were found in Inamgaon’s burial sites
• People also consumed animal flesh as food as marks of cutting tools have been found on the animal bones

Differentiation between male and female skeletons

• As the burials were ancient, the skeletons were quite decomposed and archeologists had to study them minutely
• However, after careful examination, it was found that some skeletons had wider and more prominent hips where some of them were normal
• It was finally concluded that skeletons with prominent hips were those of women and regular hips were of men

Special burials at Inamgaon

• Some of the burial practices at Inamgaon are considered to be special because of the tomb-like vessels used to bury the dead
• Some of these burial sites had burials that are at least 2000 to 3600 years old
• A special burial place was also found where a male skeleton was enclosed in a huge clay jar
• It consisted of 4 legs that helped the body to rest in a sleeping position
• The jar was found in the courtyard that was large and in front of a multi-storeyed house
• Some equipment and pieces of decoration were found on these tombs reflecting that they were the burial places of rich people

Conclusion

Inamgaon Settlement – The village of Inamgaon is considered to be at least 3600 years old. It means that this settlement started around the same period when Rigveda was composed.

End of Inamgaon – The settlement of the Inamgaon was subsequently ended some 2700 years ago around 700 B.C.

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