Megalithic Cists and Cairn, Stone circles / Megalithic Burial Sites at Echchur ( Eaichur ), Sastrapakkam, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Megalithic Cists and Cairn, Stone circles at Echchur ( Eaichur ), in Kanchipuram District,  was made on 05^th October 2022, along with Archaeological Survey Of India ( ASI ) Excavation sites at Vadakkupattu  in Kanchipuram District.

This is one of the ASI protected monument without fencing in a vast area on the east side of a small hill.  This burial site was used by the stone age people between 4000 BCE to 2000 BCE. No Cist was found inside the Cairn Stone circles. Most of the Stones circles are disturbed and stones are taken out. More than 100 stone circles are found in this monument.  

LOCATION OF THE SITE        : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Megalithic Monuments, Cairn Circles, Gundri, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to this Megalithic Monuments at Gundri was a part of “Hero Stones and Megalithic Monuments Visit in and around Gundri”, in Erode District, on 29^th August 2022. This megalithic site is not figured in ASI or Tamil Nadu archaeological Department’s list, under protected monument. It was told that more than 70 Cairn circles are found few years before, but most of them are disturbed and converted in to cultivation lands. The stones are dumped as bunds for the fields. The Cairn Circles and the stone tools unearthed in the Village shows that human settlement in this area more than 8000 years before.

 

This megalithic monument consists of Cairn circles in various diameters with Cist at the center. The cist is at the center of the Cairn circle and longer side is on North – South Direction.

  

Cist at the center

LOCATION OF THE MONUMENT    : CLICK HERE

GPS Co-ordinates:  11°39'00.0"N 77°24'46.8"E

Cist side stone slabs are dumped on bunds

A Tree House

Me on the top

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

A Prehistoric Megalithic Period Burial Site at Sengalur and Sittannavasal Dolmen – A Pudukkottai Heritage Visit., Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu.

The first visit was organized by Mr Trichy Parthy. The second visit to this Sengalur Prehistoric megalithic period Burial site was a part of Heritage Visit to temples & Heritage sites around Keeranur in Pudukkottai District, organized by “Yaaooyakay – யாஊயாகே” group on 2^nd and 3^rd, October 2021.  

We came across this megalithic burial site at Sengalur, when we are travelling from Malayadipatti to Visalur, a part of Pudukkottai Heritage Visit. This Burial site is under the control of Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI ), under archaeological Monument with out any protection fence, but with a warning sign board.  This burial site spreads over a large area of more than 20 acres dating back to 500 to 300 BCE. One of the largest and more than 500 cairn circles and urns are found in this burial site.

A large number of pottery wares in red and black, ring stand with pots, terracotta wares, toy objects, bowl, lids, decorative pieces made by clay, hundred of glass beads of precious stones, Topaz, Gold?, Copper article, Iron knifes, swords  are un earthed by the archaeological department.  A variety of sepulchral  monuments like, Burial urns, cairn circles with cist, are found. The cairn circle stones are laterite  of large stones. The rectangular cist side and covering are made of granite  stones.  Cairn circles in groups are found, which may be considered for one family. In addition to this burial urns are found on the open ground. Some of the big urns contains two to three smaller pots inside. Which shows that complete body was not kept in the urns, may be bones of the dead.

From the materials un-earthed indicates that the stone age people are experts in making of ornaments, articles in metals and clay. Also they lived in the area at least more than 500 years and experts of the opinion that the people lived up to 11^th century at Sengalur.

HOW TO REACH:

Sengalur is on the way between Malayadipatti and Visalur.

Sengalur is 32 Km from Trichy and  50 KM from Pudukkottai.

Nearest Railway Station is Keeranur and Junction is Tiruchirappalli.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE  : - CLICK HERE

GPS Co-ordinate 10°40'11"N   78°53'38"E

Excavated by Archaeology Department

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

கொடுமணல், பெருங்கற்கால சின்னங்கள் அகழாய்வு, கொடுமணல், ஈரோடு மாவட்டம், தமிழ்நாடு.

தமிழகத் தொல்லியல் துறை 1997 மற்றும் 1998ல் கொடுமணல் பெருங்கற்கால ஈமச்சின்னங்களை அகழாய்வு செய்தது . அங்கு இருந்ததிலேயே பெயரிதும் நல்ல நிலையில் உள்ளதுமான ஒரு கல்வட்டத்துடன் கூடிய கற்பதுக்கை அகழாய்வுக்கு தேர்ந்து எடுத்து ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டனர் . இந்த ஈமச்சின்னமானது ஒரு பெரிய கல் வட்டத்தினுள் ஒரு சிறிய கல்வட்டமும் அதனுள் கற்பலகையினால் ஆன ஒரு வட்டமும் அதன் நடுவே கற்பதுக்கை பல அறைகள் கொண்டதுமாக இருந்தது . 

இப்பெருங்கற்கால சின்னத்திலிருந்த தாழி ஒன்று எடுக்கப்பட்டது . அதனுள் மானின் எலும்பும் அரியவகை கல்மணிகள் (7000) , கோடாரி உள்ளிட்டவை இருந்தன. மேலும் அருகில் நீண்ட வாள் ஒன்று கண்டுபிடிக்கபட்டது . வாள் அருகே மானின் எலும்புகள் கிடைத்துள்ளதால் உயிர்ப்பலி சடங்கு  நடந்தப்பட்டிருக்கலாம் என்று ஆய்வாளர்கள் கருதுகின்றனர் . 

மேலும் கற்பதுக்கைகள் அடுத்தடுத்த அறையில் ஈமச்பொருட்களுடன் கூடிய கருப்பு சிவப்பு பானைகள் , அம்பு முனைகள் , வாள், கத்தி , கோடாரி, வில் உள்ளிட்ட ஆயுதங்கள் கண்டெடுக்கப்பட்டன . இதன் மூலம் இந்த மிகப்பெரிய ஈமச்சின்னமானது வீரன் அல்லது தலைவனுக்காக இருக்கலாம் . 
இதற்கு அடுத்து அருகில் இருந்த மேலும் சில ஈமச்சின்னங்களை அகழாய்வு மேற்கொண்டதில் இரும்பு கத்திகள், கல்லாலான ஜாடிகள் , சூது பவள மணிகள் , அம்பு முனைகள் மற்றும் இரும்பாலான பொருட்கள் கிடைத்தன .
மேற்கொண்ட இந்த ஈமச்சின்ன அகழாய்வுகளில் ஒருந்து பெருங்கற்காலத்திலேயே இங்கு மக்கள் நல்ல நாகரீகத்துடன் வாழ்ந்து உள்ளனர் என்று கருதலாம் .

தொடரும்...

Dolmens, Koil Houses, Hero Stones, Veerakallu / நடுகற்கள் /வீரகல்லு, at Melur, Nilgiris of Kongu Nadu, Tamil Nadu.

It was a long wish to see the Hero stones of Melur in Nilgiris District after came through Mr Kumaravel. Came to know that there are about 15 Hero stones with Dolmens. Most of the hero stones are housed in “Koil Houses”. In that the Hero stones are erected either on the back or on all there side and top will be covered with stone slabs. Hence these Dolmens may be of Koil Houses and experts are requested to comment on this.

Almost all the hero stones are sati stones. Out of 15 Hero stones 2 Hero / sati stones are seems to be interesting and the rest are of very crude finish. These two hero stones are little different from the Hero / sati stones with 3 tier / 4 tier found at Thalavadi and Mysore regions. In this the heroic action, sati and other details are shown keeping the Hero at the centre and the rest are around him without segregation. 

PULIKUTHI HERO STONE - 1

In this the hero is holding a long spear and pointing the Tiger. Hero is wearing ornaments on the neck and ears. The ears are shown as elongated. Moustache is not shown to the hero. The hero wears a half dress below his hip and a kattar is tied to the hip. The hero’s tuft or the hair style is the speciality of this Hero stone. This Hero is shown at the centre. On the right A male and Female is shown. This signifies that the hero’s wife might have took sati. On the left, a Horse and  a Man with an women are shown. In addition to there is a boy shown  with a different type of Legs. On the top three persons are shown in sitting posture.

PULIKUTHI HERO STONE - 2

This is an another Hero stone similar to the above. In this the hero with a big moustache is shown in centre Killing a Tiger with a spear. On his left top the hero’s wife, who took sati after the hero’s death is shown. The Hero’s wife is shown with right hand raised holding a lemon similar to the sati stones found at Thalavadi and Mysore regions. The Hero wears ornaments and the half dress is shown neatly with decorations. The hero’s tuft and the Moustache reminds the Nayakas style.  

On his right two men are shown, in that one man is holding a bow with arrow. On the top Sun and moon are also shown. Base on the style inscriptions this hero stone belongs to 17^th to 18^th century.

One of the Koil House was white washed. It was learnt from the nearby Shiva temple care taker, every year pooja will be conducted at Shiva temple. During that time, pooja will be conducted at this Koil House first and then taken to Shiva temple.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONES:  CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---