NEW DELHI: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has stumbled upon a cluster of over 100 megaliths near Malampuzha dam in Palakkad, largest water barrier and reservoir in Kerala during a recent exploration expedition.
“Recent explorations near the Malampuzha dam in Palakkad, Kerala has led to a fascinating discovery of megalithic structures spread across island-like mounds. The team of ASI surveyed the area and came across more than 110 megaliths spreading across 45 hectares of land,” said ASI officials.
Megalithic structures are structures, which are built for burials using large, often rough stones, without mortar or cement. Such chambers were common during Neolithic and Bronze Ages.
The ASI said that most of the burials are of Cists variety - both single and multiple chambered—Stone Circles, Urns, Dolmens, and Dolmenoid Cists. “These structures are primarily constructed with massive granite slabs and boulders, some also incorporate laterite stones,” said ASI.
Cist grave is a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead.
Megaliths, large stone structures, are found across India particularly in the southern India. Most notable sites are Brahmagiri in Karnataka and Adichanallur in Tamil Nadu.
“The finding of such a large number of megalithic burials in clusters is expected to add further insights about early Iron Age society and belief system in Kerala,” added ASI officials.
Around 100 km from Bhubaneswar, ongoing excavations at Ratnagiri continue to unravel the buried world of ancient art, architecture and culture.
During the ongoing excavation around 100 kms from Bhubaneswar in Odisha at Ratnagiri, the Survey also discovered a large collection of antiquities.
The excavation drive is focused on exposing ancient shrines, Stupas, and sculptures, with a keen eye on possible links to Southeast Asia and the development of the Vajrayana monastic complex in Eastern India during the early mediaeval period.
Early findings reveal architectural members, a series of votive stupas, and a brick stupa with a crisscross design. Along with this, a rectangular chaitya complex with intricate brick and stone masonry has also been found along with three colossal Buddha heads and a variety of monolithic votive stupas featuring Buddhist deities like Tara, Chunda, Manjusri, Dhyani Buddha etc and series of Sanskrit Inscriptions on sealings and sculptures. The rich pottery assemblage, dominated by greyware, adds depth to the site's cultural story.
“Apart from three colossal Buddha Heads and beautiful sculptures of divinities, findings of hundreds of monolithic to structural votive stupas made out of brick and stone of different sizes and dimensions also housing divinities within the niches are significant finds as it shows the transition from Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism and is sure to play a significant role in the spread of Vajrayana to Southeast Asia from Eastern India,” said ASI officials.
