Megalithic Culture

Megaliths, or structures built with large stones, are present all around the world in large numbers. The Megaliths have existed since the middle Stone Age, and also in the neolithic periods. However, the Indian megaliths are mainly from the Iron Age, though some sites predate the Iron Age, extending up to 2000 BC. 

Megaliths, originally meant large stones, are the monuments that represent the megalithic period, which lasted from 2500 BC to AD 200. Constructed mainly as commemorative memorials or burial sites, these monuments are known to be the earliest surviving man-made structures that we currently know about. 

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Features of Megalithic Period

• The use of large stone boulders in and around graves was characteristic of this cultural period. These boulders were used for covering and surrounding the grave

• These graves have yielded enlightening evidence regarding these cultural periods, such as animal bones, iron objects, pottery, ornaments, beads, and so on. As a result, the Megalithic period of human life is referred to as the megalithic culture

• Villages were common among the Megalithic people. The thickness of the debris discovered at the megalithic settlement indicates that the megalithic people resided in one location for about 50-100 years, before moving on to new locations

• Megalithic people cultivated a variety of food grains, including rice and wheat. Donkeys and buffalo were among the animals they domesticated. Agriculture had not yet reached the point of surplus

• The iron object discovery in megalithic graves suggests that this cultural period is associated with Iron Age

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Different types of pottery are associated with Megalithic culture

• Use of high-quality red and black pottery during this era is highly characteristic

• The walls are painted white

• Megalithic settlements flourished until the second century BC

• Pottery and Roman coins have also been discovered in some of the settlements. According to this evidence, megalithic people were involved in the early age cultures

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Megalithic Sites

• Megaliths in ancient India date back before 3000 BC, with recent discoveries in southern India dating back to 5000 BC

• Megaliths can be found almost everywhere in southern India

• The oldest megaliths are found in the upper Indus valley and central India, while those in the east are much older

• A large portion of these is thought to be connected to post-burial or burial rituals, such as memorials

• In 1975, Brahmagiri was excavated, which helped establish the culture in south Indian prehistory

People gave a lot of thought and effort towards the arrangement of these burial sites, which include various categories, such as dolmenoid cists or box-shaped stone burial chambers, cairn circles which are stone circles with clearly marked peripheries, and capstones which are distinctive mushroom-shaped burial chambers found mainly in Kerala. The casket or the urn containing mortal remains was mainly constructed using terracotta. Menhirs, a memorial site, comes under the Non-sepulchral megaliths. Many megaliths belong to the Iron Age (1500 BC to 500 BC), especially in India, although some believe that the Iron Age continued till 2000 BC. Some of India’s most important Megalithic sites include Andhra Pradesh Adichanallur, Tamil Nadu Thrissur (Thrissivaperur), Nagarjunakonda, Kerala Jaunapani, Maharashtra Maski, Karnataka Brahmagiri, Karnataka Nagarjunakonda, Karnataka Piklihal, Karnataka Hallur. 

Characteristics of Megalithic culture and burials

At first, it was believed that the thoughts travel from one centre of the world to another. Due to the migrating population, even the scientific consensus agreed to this theory. However, some denied the possibility of it. Today, modern researchers have come to the conclusion that ideas and innovations have independent origins.

• These burials have some common characteristics. Dead people got buried with distinctive pots, also known as the red or black ware

• Iron weapons have also been discovered. Along with iron, horse equipment, skeletons, gold and silver ornaments became common

Although their settlements can scare anyone, burials have been found in large quantities, especially in the Deccan region. It is believed that most of the Iron Age information is extracted from megalithic tombs. From Japan in Nagpur to Tamil Nadu in the South, the iron objects are found universally in a large number. 

Conclusion

While the term “Megalith” is frequently used to refer to a single piece of stone, it can also refer to a group of rocks hewn into a specific shape for a specific purpose. It has been used to describe structures constructed by people from all over the world during various periods. Megaliths were generally found in Southern India and their discoveries date back to 5000 BC. The megaliths in India were generally connected to burials, and were dominated by religious and supernatural beliefs.