Menhir and Megalithic Burial Sites

News: The Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs, ancient standing stones in Telangana’s Narayanpet district, dating back around 3,500 to 4,000 years, have been included in India’s tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Menhir and Megalithic Burial Sites.

About Menhirs

• Menhirs are large, upright standing stones, often uncarved, placed individually or in groups.
• Purpose: Used for burial, religious, astronomical, or territorial purposes.
• Historical Significance: Dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, menhirs are among the earliest forms of human monumental architecture.
• Astronomical Importance: Some menhirs align with celestial events such as solstices and equinoxes, indicating ancient astronomical knowledge.
• Material & Size: Generally made of locally available stone; sizes vary from a few feet to over 20 feet tall.
• Geographical Spread: They are found across Europe, Asia, and Africa, with notable examples in France (Carnac), the UK (Stonehenge), and India (Mudumal, Telangana).

About Megalithic Burial Sites

• A megalith is a large stone used in the construction of a monument or structure, either independently or in combination with other stones.
• The tradition of constructing such monuments began primarily during the Neolithic Age and continued through the Chalcolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages.
• Archaeologists date the majority of India’s megaliths to the Iron Age (1500 BC to 500 BC), with some sites tracing back as early as 2000 BC.
• Megalithic structures are found worldwide and can be categorized into two main types:
  • Polylithic Type – Constructed using multiple stones such as Dolmens, Cairn, Cromlech and Cist. 
  • Monolithic Type – Comprising a single stone such as Menhir and Stone Circle
    

About Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs

• The Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs are ancient standing stones in Narayanpet district, Telangana.
• They are about 3,500 to 4,000 years old.
• The site is one of the largest megalithic burial grounds in South India.
• It has nearly 80 tall menhirs and around 3,000 smaller stones.
• These stones are arranged in a special way. Some of them align with the sun during solstices and equinoxes. One stone even shows the earliest known star constellation (Ursa Major) in South Asia.
• Local people believe the stones are sacred. They have linked them to folk traditions and worship.