An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s9: 12.9 Sarcophagi
An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s9
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12.9 Sarcophagi
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A sarcophagus primarily denotes a stone coffin but the later ones are of terracotta as well. Outside India sarcophagi are well known in the Mediterranean region and w. Asia, where they were generally anthropoid in shape and were used for primary burials. In India the first sarcophagus, of terracotta, was reported in 1850-1 from Panduvaram Deval, Dt N. Arcot. The number of excavated specimens known so far is about 50 including the one from PAIYAMPALLI excavated in 1968. A vast majority of them are of terracotta, while only a very few are of stone. The shapes in terracotta include: ovoid without legs or supported on a row of legs; cylindrical; ram/ewe-shaped; elephantoid; and bovine. The stone ones are: monolithic troughs; troughs cut out in rock within dolmenoid cists; and oblong troughs cooped out of the bed-rock.
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Sarcophagi are associated in India with Megalithic burials [4.17] and are datable to that period. In a tomb chamber usually a single sarcophagus is found but there are instances of more than one and even up to five of them. Oriented e.-w., they are used for secondary burials. Long bones, skulls, teeth and ribs of an individual, occasionally more, are found interred in a single sarcophagus. The grave goods within and outside include among other things: the Black-and-red Ware [11.15.3] and red ware pots; iron swords, spearheads, arrowheads, hoes, sickles, horse-bits and stirrups; and beads of terracotta, stone and metal.
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The area of distribution of sarcophagi falls within 10°41' to 18° latitude and 70° to 80°55' longitude. Out of known sites with sarcophagus interments (list below) as many as 16 are located between 10°10' and 18°14' and 75°50' and 78°41'.
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A sarcophagus from Arizo in Palestine, dated to *c.* 9th century B.C., bears a close resemblance to a specimen from Sankaravaram which however belongs to a later date. In the Indian Museum there is a terracotta trough-shaped sarcophagus supported on six legs from Malaya which is akin to one of the India shapes.
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Some of the sites with sarcophagi are: ANEGUTTAHALLI, Dt Kolar; CHEVAYUR, Dt Kozhikode; DEVANUR, Dt N. Arcot; FEROKE, Dt Kozhikode; GAJJALAKONDA, Dt Kurnool; HAMPASAGAR, Dt Bellary; IRALABANDA, Dt Chittoor; JADIGENAHALLI, Dt Bangalore; KATTAKAMPAL, Dt Trichur; KOLLUR, Dt S. Arcot; KUNNATTUR, Dt Chingleput; MASKI, Dt Raichur; MUNGAPET, Dt Warangal; PAIYAMPALLI, Dt N. Arcot, PALLAVARAM, Dt Chingleput; PANDUVARAM DEVAL, Dt N. Arcot; PERUMBAIR, Dt Chingleput; POLLECHETTI8 CHERU GUDDA, Dt Warangal; SANUR, Dt Chingleput; SOUTTEKENY, Pondicherry; and SIRUMGAI, Dt Coimbatore.
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Anderson, J. 1883, *Catalogue & Handbook of the Arch. Collections Indian Museum*, Calcutta, 1, p. 190. Ghosh, N.C., 1974, in *Jour. Bihar* *Res. Soc.*, 60, pp. 1-4 (for Indian Megalithic sarcophagi). Parrot, J., 1960, in *Illustrated London News*, 3 December 1960, p. 398, (for Azor ossuaries). Krishnaswami, V.D., 1949, in *AI*, 5, pp. 35-45 (for Megalithic types in s. India). Newbold, 1851, in *Jour. Royal Asiatic Soc.*, 13, pp. 90-5 (for Panduvaram Deval). Ramachandran, K.S., 1971, *Bibliography on Indian Megaliths*, Madras.—N.C. GHOSH