Amateur historians from Telangana claimed to have unearthed a megalithic burial site including a menhir in Madaram village between Suryapet and Kodad.
“It is an exciting find as all these human habitations are important in understanding the nature of civilisation and culture that existed at that time in this region. We surmise it is dateable to the megalithic period,” said S. Haragopal who discovered the site along with Muralikrishna, and Mahesh.
Interestingly, the 15-foot-high conical menhir discovered in a raised area has a petroglyph incised into it. “We were led to the site by villagers. Earlier, there were burial circles and other relics were scattered over 15 acres of land. But more land is now being used for agriculture. In the process we are losing our precious history,” said Mr. Haragopal.
As the site is located beside the road, the historians are worried that the whole site will be destroyed for development activities.
In the past, a group member Ahobilam Karunakar had discovered a neolithic stone axe and a hundred holes in the bedrock in the vicinity of the menhir.
Earlier, similar megalithic sites with menhirs, stone circles and other funerary structures have been discovered in other parts of the State of Telangana.