DINDIGUL: After nearly three months of excavation, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has unearthed a burial complex identified as a group of dolmens at Kamanur village in Dindigul district, along with several iron artefacts and semi-precious ornaments.
According to an official release, ASI began excavations at the site in January and is currently focusing on the megalithic burial complex. Findings so far point to a carefully planned funerary layout. A total of seven chambers have been identified, arranged in two parallel rows, with each row containing three chambers. A smaller chamber has also been found on the western side, integrated into the overall enclosure.
ASI said the structures appear to have been built with notable engineering precision. To ensure stability, the builders used a mixture of small stones, soil and potsherds as packing material at the base before placing the floor slabs and orthostats. The entire burial complex is enclosed by a rectangular stone-built wall oriented towards the east. Constructed using dry masonry in regular courses, the wall is mostly covered with cairn packing, indicating that it formed an important part of the funerary design.
Among the artefacts retrieved from the site are an iron knife, chisel, arrowhead and sword. Excavators have also recovered beads and pendants made of carnelian (both etched and plain), agate, jasper, chalcedony, lapis lazuli and quartz.
Significantly, Indo-Pacific glass beads were found in large numbers, along with ceramic assemblages including red ware, red slipped ware, black ware and black-and-red ware, offering further insights into the material culture of the ancient community.
