HYDERABAD: A megalithic burial site dating between 3,000 BC and 1,800 AD with cairns and cist graves was discovered in an agricultural field in Jupeda village of Tirumalayapalem mandal in Khamman district by members of Kotha Telangana Charithra Brundam (KTCB). Though many of the graves are in damaged condition due to agricultural activities over the years, there are still some graves that are undisturbed and can be studied, said archaeology enthusiasts.
There are piles of stones laid in a circular pattern around the heaps, which is a typical cairns burial. There are also cist burials, where the explorers found ‘post holes,’ openings in one of the ‘Orthostats’ (stone planks) erected around the cist burials. Capstones that were originally placed on the burials were also found scattered in the agricultural field.
According to writings of former Director of Department of Archaeology late VV Krishna Shastry, such openings were found in burials near a deceased person’s head. The openings are aligned with the pole star in the North Pole, as per the religious belief of people of those times.
KTCB Convener S Haragopal told Express that similar beliefs were practiced in Vastu Shastra, where in olden times, before constructing a house, a line used to be drawn with limestone by taking the pole start as ‘moola chukka’ and then the house was designed accordingly. Around 2.5 km away from the site, Menhirs were also discovered at Kusumanchi village in the past, he added.