MEGALITHIC CULTURE IN SOUTH INDIA

What is Chalcolithic Period

• The “Rig Vedic Culture” of North India corresponds to the Copper Age culture of other parts of the Indian subcontinent.
• It is called “chalcolithic culture” because people used copper (chalco) and stone (lithic) at the same time.

Megalithic culture in South India

• Copper age culture of India and mature Harappan culture = contemporary.
• Even after the decline of the Harappan culture, the Copper Age culture continued to prevail.
• Post Vedic culture of North India and Iron Age social culture of South India = Contemporary.
• After the end of the Iron Age culture, the “Megalithic Culture” began.
• Period of Megalithic Culture = 600 BC to 100 AD.
• The Megalithic Period of ancient Tamil Nadu corresponds to the pre-Sangam period.
• Pottery attributed to the Megalithic Age = black and red ware pottery.

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What is Megalithic Age

• Megalith is a Greek word.
• Mega means = great.
• Lith means = stone.
• Using big stone slabs built upon the places of burial is known as Megalith.

Megalithic / Iron Age Archaeological Sites in Tamil Nadu

• Adichanallur – Thoothukudi District
• Keezhadi – Sivagangai District
• Porunthal – Dindigul District
• Paiyampalli – Vellore District
• Kodumanal – Erode District

Artifacts found in Adichanallur excavations

• Adhichanallur is located in which district = Thoothukudi district.
• Materials found in Adichanallur Excavation = Urns, pottery of various kinds (Red Ware, Black Ware), iron implements, daggers, swords, spears and arrows, some stone beads and a few gold ornaments.
• Animal figures made of bronze have been found at Adichanallur.
• Bronze figures of domestic animals and wild animals like tiger, elephant, deer etc. have been found.

Keezhadi Excavation

• Keezhadi belongs to which district = Sivagangai District.
• Keezhadi = Ancient city of Sangam period.
• Excavation Agency = The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
• Evidence found in Keezhadi Excavation = brick built buildings, well laid drainage system.
• Materials found in Keezhadi excavations = Tamil – Brahmi inscription on pottery, beads of glass, carnelian and quartz, pearl, gold ornaments and iron objects, shell bangles, ivory dice have been unearthed.
• In 2017, the Indian Department of Archeology sent two samples to Beta Analytic in Florida, USA for radiocarbon dating. It has been revealed that these objects belong to 200 BC.
• Place where Roman antiquities were found = Keezhadi.

The city of Rome

• Material to be exported from Peninsular India to Rome = steel.
• The Periplus mentions that steel was exported from peninsular India to Rome and that it was taxed at the port of Alexandria.

Porunthal Excavation

• Porunthal belongs to which district = Dindigul District.
• Materials found in the Porunthal Excavation = Grave goods, glass beads (in red, white, yellow, blue and green), iron swords, pottery with Tamil Brahmi scripts, pots filled with rice, semi-precious metals such as quartz, carnelian, bangles made of glass and shell.
• Place where there is evidence of Tamilnadu people growing paddy = Porunthal (Dindigul).
• Evidences of Tamilnadu people growing rice are = The discovery of iron sickle, pike, and tip of ploughs.
• A pot of rice from Porunthal site proves that rice was people’s staple food.

Paiyampalli Excavation

• Paiyampalli belongs to which district = Vellore District.
• Materials found in Paiyampalli excavations = Iron ware, Megalithic black and red pottery.
• Place where evidence of iron smelting is found = Paiyampalli (Vellore district)..
• The period of Paiyampalli culture is predicted as = 1000 BC.

Kodumanal Excavation

• Kodumanal belongs to which district = Erode District.
• The Sangam literary book that says about Kodumanal = Pathitrupathu.
• The largest number of items found in Kodumanal Excavation is = More than 300 pottery inscriptions in Tamil – Brahmi.
• Materials found in Kodumanal Excavations = spindles, whorls (used for making thread from cotton) and pieces of cloth, along with tools, weapons, ornaments, beads, particularly carnelian.
• A “Menhir” found near the burial mound at Kodumanal is predicted to be of Megalithic period.

What are Urns

• Urns are a large pottery jars were used for burying the dead.
• The dead body was placed in a big pot along with burial goods.

What are Dolmens

• Two or more stone slabs are planted vertically on either side of the burial site and another stone slab is placed on top of them as a bed.
• Dolmens are Megalithic tombs.
• Megalithic Dolmens have been found in = Veeraraghavapuram village (Kanchipuram district), Kummalamaruthupatti (Dindigul district), Narasingampatti (Madurai district) and in Pandavan Thittu (Dharmapuri District).

What are Menhir

• Memorial stones are called “Menhir” in English.
• The word Menhir comes from the British language.
• “Men” means “stone”. “Hir” means “long”.
• These pillars made of single stone are erected vertically in memory of the dead.
• Places where memorial stones are found in Tamil Nadu = Singaripalayam (Tirupur), Vempur (Theni), Narasinghampatti (Madurai), Kumarikkal Palayam (Erodu), Kodumanal (Erodu).
• Monuments = memorial stones that indicate ancient habitations on both banks of the river.

What are Hero Stones

• A Hero Stone is a memorial stone raised in remembrance of the honourable death of a hero in a battle or those who lost their lives while defending their village from animals or enemies.
• Places where Hero stones are found in Tamil Nadu = Maanur (near Palani, Dindigul district), Vellalankottai (Tuticorin), Pulimankombai (Dindigul).

 

 

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