4.1 Distribution outside of Indus
Distribution outside of Indus
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- Pit, Urn Burials in south Indian neo-chalco sites and 2 burials marked by stones were found at Watgal.
- Sarchophagus burial at Inamgaon**.
- Megaliths of Vindhyas belong to per iron chalcolithic context
- Megaliths in peninsular India is associated with iron
- What does the separation of places of the living and the dead signify?
- Shift in social organisation
Various Types of Burials
There are 3 basic types of megaliths :
- chamber tombs
- unchambered tombs
- and megaliths not connected with burials
Unchambered burials are of 3 types
- Pit burials,
- urn burials
- sarcophagus burials.
Q.) In megalithic culture, if the chamber in underground it is known as a?
- Cist
Q.) If he chamber in partly underground it is known as a?
- Dolemnoid cist found at Porkalam
Q.) If the chamber is full above the ground it is known as a?
- Dolmen
Q.) Chambers are sometimes divided into vertical slabs are called?
- Transepts
Q.) If a pit burial is marked by a circle of large stones it is known as?
- Pit Circle
Q.) If a pit burial has a heap of large stones piled on top it is known as a ?
- Cairn
Q.) If both stone circle and pile up stones are present in a burial it is known as a?
- Cairn stone circle
Q.) If a pit burial is marked by a single large standing stone slab it is called a ?
- Menhir
Various sites/ Distribution in India outside of the Indus
Refer Anki
PYQs
- Discuss the extent, settlement patterns and subsistence economy of the megalithic cultures. [2012, 30m]
- Refer ANKI
- Megalith
Megalithic cultures in India refer to the cultures that existed in different parts of India between the 2nd millennium BCE and the 1st millennium BCE, and are known for their use of megaliths, which are large stone structures used for funerary and ritual purposes.
The extent of megalithic cultures in India was quite widespread, covering a large area of present-day India, including the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, as well as the eastern states of Odisha, West Bengal, and Assam. The megalithic cultures also extended to the western regions of Maharashtra and Gujarat, and the northeastern region of Meghalaya.
The settlement patterns of megalithic cultures in India were diverse, with different regions exhibiting different patterns of settlement. In the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the megalithic settlements were mainly located in the coastal regions and were characterized by a high density of population. In the eastern states of Odisha and West Bengal, the megalithic settlements were mainly located in the upland regions and were characterized by a lower density of population.
The subsistence economy of the megalithic cultures in India was mainly based on agriculture and animal husbandry. The megalithic people practiced a variety of subsistence strategies such as shifting cultivation, settled cultivation and pastoralism depending on the region they lived. They also had a good knowledge of irrigation and water management, which helped them to cultivate crops in regions with semi-arid and saline groundwater. The megalithic people also relied on hunting and gathering for their subsistence. They were skilled in metal working and were known for their production of iron and other metals.
In conclusion, the megalithic cultures in India existed between the 2nd millennium BCE and the 1st millennium BCE.e