A team of history and archaeology scholars from the University of Mysore have embarked on an excavation of megalithic burial sites in Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka

Doddalathur Megalithic Burial Site

• Location: The megalithic site is located in a small valley formed by the Male Mahadeshwara Hill ranges.
• It dates back to the Megalithic-Iron Age (1200 BCE to 300 CE).
• The site features burials marked by large stone boulders in circular arrangements.
• Discovery: In 1961 by C Krishnamurti of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

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About the Current Excavation

• Objective:
  • To explore megalithic-iron age culture in southern Karnataka.
  • To gather scientific dating and cultural insights from the site.
• The department previously excavated the nearby habitation-cum-megalithic burial site of Budipadaga, 20 km from Doddalathur, in 2021 and 2022.

About Megaliths

• A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones.
• They were constructed either as burial sites or commemorative (non-sepulchral) memorials. 
• The megalithic monuments of peninsular India, believed to have been erected in the Iron Age (1500 BC – 200 AD).
• Origin: As megalithic societies were preliterate, the racial or ethnic origins of the megalithic people are thus difficult to pin down.
• Geographical Coverage: Though megalithic sites are found all across India,  they are concentrated mostly in peninsular India. 

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Types of Megaliths

• Underground Components:
  • Pit Burials: Unlined pits where one or more bodies are buried.
  • Cist Burials: Stone-lined rectangular graves often used for burials.
  • Urn Burials: Terracotta urns used to hold the mortal remains.
  • Sarcophagus Burials: Terracotta receptacles, often with lids, sometimes shaped like animals.
• Surface Components:
  • Menhirs: Large, unshaped stones or minimally altered boulders, used as markers or memorials.
  • Boulder Circles: Circular arrangements of rocks or boulders, marking burial sites.
  • Cairns: Mounds of earth, often covering burials or other structures.
  • Dolmenoid Cists: Partially underground stone structures with a capstone.
  • Dolmens: Freestanding stone structures with a large capstone placed on upright stones.
• These elements form an important part of ancient burial practices and memorial structures found in various archaeological sites worldwide.
• Some of the significant Megalithic Burial sites are mentioned in the following table.