Megalithic Sites of India – Early Iron Age Cultures in the Indian Sub-continent

1. Adichanallur 

Adichanallur is a remarkable megalithic site located in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, India. Dating back to the Iron Age (1000–300 BCE), it is renowned for its burial urns, pottery, and artifacts, offering valuable insights into ancient Dravidian culture, social structures, and funerary practices.

2. Amaravati 

Amaravati is a notable megalithic site located in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Dating back to the early centuries BCE, it features intricate stone burial structures, pottery, and artifacts, shedding light on the region’s rich cultural and religious heritage during the early historic period. 

3. Brahmagiri 

Brahmagiri is a prominent megalithic site located in the Chitradurga district of Karnataka, India. The site, dating back to the Iron Age, is known for its well-preserved burial urns, pottery, and tools, providing valuable insights into the region’s ancient cultures and early human settlements. 

4. Burzahom 

Burzahom is a significant megalithic site located in the Srinagar district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. This site, dating back to around 3000 BCE, features distinctive pit dwellings, stone tools, and burial practices, shedding light on the region’s early prehistoric cultures, including their unique architectural and ritualistic practices. 

5. Dhanora 

Dhanora is an important megalithic site located in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, India. The site, dating back to the Iron Age, features stone circles, burial urns, and tools, providing significant insights into the ancient burial customs, rituals, and lifestyle of early human settlements in the region. 

6. Menhirs 

Menhirs is a notable megalithic site located in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka, India. The site features large upright stones, believed to be used for ceremonial or burial purposes during the Megalithic period. This discovery provides valuable insights into the ancient rituals, culture, and social practices of early civilizations in the region.

7. Hallur 

The Hallur Megalithic Site is located in the Haveri district of Karnataka, India. This site, dating back to the Iron Age, is renowned for its stone circles, burial urns, and artifacts, providing valuable insights into the burial customs, social structures, and culture of early civilizations in the region. 

8. Hire Benakal 

The Hire Benakal megalithic site is located in the Koppal district of Karnataka, India. This Iron Age site is known for its large stone structures, including burial cairns and menhirs, providing valuable insights into the burial practices, cultural life, and social organization of ancient civilizations in the region. 

9. Junapani 

The Junapani Megalithic Site is located in the Nagpur district of Maharashtra, India. This ancient site, dating back to the Iron Age, is known for its stone circles, burial urns, and artifacts, providing crucial insights into the burial practices, rituals, and cultural heritage of early human civilizations in the region. 

10. Jadigenahalli 

Jadigenahalli is a significant megalithic site in the Bangalore district of Karnataka, India. Known for its remarkable array of large stone structures, including cairn circles and dolmens, the site offers a glimpse into the burial and ceremonial practices of the Iron Age communities, reflecting their cultural and spiritual beliefs. 

11. Maski 

Maski, located in the Raichur district of Karnataka, India, is a key megalithic site that showcases large stone structures, including burial cairns and menhirs. The site, dating back to the Iron Age, offers significant evidence of early human rituals, social practices, and their connection to the surrounding environment. 

12. Naikund 

The Naikund Megalithic Site is located in the Nagpur district of Maharashtra, India. This site is known for its stone circles, burial urns, and other artifacts, offering crucial insights into the burial rituals, cultural practices, and societal organization of ancient Iron Age communities in the region. 

13. Nagarjunakonda 

Nagarjunakonda is a significant megalithic site located in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Famous for its Buddhist stupas, monasteries, and ancient inscriptions, the site provides valuable insights into the fusion of megalithic and Buddhist cultures, showcasing the region’s historical and religious significance during the early centuries CE.

14. Pazhayannur 

Pazhayannur, located in the Trichur district of Kerala, India, is a significant megalithic site renowned for its stone circles, menhirs, and burial urns. These findings provide crucial insights into Iron Age burial rituals, social organization, and cultural practices, shedding light on the advanced ceremonial customs of early Dravidian societies.

15. Sanur 

Sanur, located in the Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu, India, is a significant megalithic site. Known for its large stone circles and burial urns, it offers valuable insights into the ancient burial practices, ritualistic customs, and societal organization of early Iron Age communities, reflecting their complex cultural beliefs. 

16. Sittanavasal 

Sittanavasal is a prominent megalithic site located in the Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu, India. Known for its rock-cut caves, burial urns, and ancient paintings, the site offers valuable insights into the region’s Iron Age burial practices, as well as its cultural and religious developments, blending megalithic and Jain influences. 

17. T. Narasipura 

Narasipura is a Neolithic site located in the Mysuru district of Karnataka, India. Excavations have uncovered stone tools, pottery, and evidence of early human settlements. The site offers insights into the agricultural practices, domestication of animals, and cultural developments of prehistoric communities in the region during the Neolithic period.

18. Amirthamangalam

Amirthamangalam is a notable megalithic site located in the Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu, India. Renowned for its large stone structures, including burial urns and menhirs, the site provides key insights into the burial practices, rituals, and cultural traditions of Iron Age communities in the region.

19. Kunnattur

Kunnattur, located in the Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu, India, is an intriguing megalithic site. It features distinct stone circles, menhirs, and burial urns, shedding light on the burial practices, social organization, and cultural traditions of early Iron Age societies, offering a glimpse into their spiritual and societal structures.

20. Pochampalli

Pochampalli is an important megalithic site located in the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana, India. Renowned for its burial urns, stone circles, and other artifacts, the site provides significant insights into the funerary practices, cultural rituals, and social structure of early Iron Age communities in the region.