Virli Khandar Excavation

Syllabus: GS1/Art & Culture

Context

• Archaeologists believe the findings at Virli Khandar could significantly contribute to understanding megalithic cultures in the region and their broader cultural practices.

key findings from the site

• The site has a unique burial pattern like it has stone circles and within them menhirs, making it a composite megalithic structure (a combination of two burial types).
  • In contrast, nearby sites such as Pimpalgaon Nipani and Tirota Kheri feature primarily dolmen burials, making Virli Khandar distinct.

• Significant artifacts have been recovered from one of the burials, including copper objects such as a necklace, iron implements like axes, chisels, ladles and arrowheads, semi-precious stone beads, notably etched carnelian beads, and a gold earring.
• One of the most striking discoveries is a unique cluster of pottery, not previously reported in the Vidarbha region. In one burial, nearly 50 pots were found arranged systematically, with larger bowls covered by inverted bowls.

• The pots were carefully placed over a layer of black cotton soil laid above the natural lateritic (murum) base.
• The largest surviving menhir, the Grand Menhir Brisé or the Great Broken Menhir in Brittany, France, once stood at 20.6 m tall.

What are Menhirs?

• A menhir is a standing or an upright stone, which is usually tapered at the top. It is man-made, in that it is sculpted and placed by humans, and usually quite large.
• Menhirs can either be found alone, or as a part of a larger complex of prehistoric megaliths, simply, large stone structures. While the exact purpose of many megalithic sites is debated, they likely served ceremonial functions.
• The Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs in Telangana’s Narayanpet district, dating back approximately 3,500 to 4,000 years, have been added to a tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites from India.

Source: IE