Megalithic Burial Site

A rainwater harvesting project by the Koduvayur grama panchayat led to the discovery of many megalithic urn burials.

About Megalith

• It is a large stone used to build an ancient structure or monument, either by itself or with other stones.
• Types of Megaliths
  • Underground components: 
    • Pit burials: These are unlined pits where bodies of one or more dead persons are buried.
    • Cist burials: stone-lined underground grave, usually rectangular in plan.
    • Urn burials:  Mortal remains in terracotta urns.
    • Sarcophagus burials: These are terracotta receptacles with lids,  sometimes shaped like animals. 
  • Surface Components: 
    • Menhirs: single stone, unshaped or minimally altered natural boulders.
      • often used as markers or memorials. 
    • Boulder circles: These are the circular arrangements of rocks or boulders. 
      • It marks burial sites. 
    • Cairns: Earth mounds,  often cover burials or other structures.
    • Dolmenoid cists: It is a partially underground stone structure with a capstone. 
    • Dolmens: It is a large freestanding stone structure that has capstone. 

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Key findings of the megalithic burial site

• These urns were found on Kundlikkad hill, in the Kollengode range of Nenmara forest, Palakkad district, Kerala.

• Archaeological Importance:
  • These urns could provide valuable information about the connection between the Mesolithic and Iron Age periods in Kerala.
    • Finding such urns on a hilltop is rare since most burial sites are usually found in lower areas.
• Estimated Age of the Burials: The burials are believed to be over 2,500 years old.
• Unique Findings on the Hill: Most hill sites in Kerala feature cairn heaps, cists, and stone circles with dolmens, but this site contained an unusually large number of classic urn burials.
• Damage During Digging:
  • Several urns were broken when labourers dug pits for rainwater harvesting. 
  • One urn burial remained intact with its capstone, and many pottery fragments (black ware, red ware, and black-and-red ware) were found in the area.

Features of the Urns and Pottery

• Size and Thickness: The ancient builders used large urns that were 8 mm to 2 cm thick.
• Fingerprint Marks and Designs: Some urns had fingerprint impressions, and smaller pots had cord-impressed designs.
• Use of Chisels: Marks on the rocks show that chisels were used to create the capstones and stones that circled the urns.

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