An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s17.113

v1.c9.s17.113

*4.17.10 S.-w. region.* The s.-w. coastal belt, a narrow strip along the Arabian Sea coinciding with the present Kerala State is physiographically divided into three divisions: the alluvial and sandy sea-board, plains dotted with lateritic outcrops and hilly uplands of granitic gneiss and charnockite. The region is rich in megalithic remains, viz. dolmens, multiple dolmens, plain port-hole cists, transepted cists, menhirs alignments, urn burials, ‘umbrella’ stones, ‘hood’ stones, multiple ‘hood’ stones and rock-cut caves (Krishnaswami, 1949). It is only to a limited extent that particular megalithic types may be said to have been determined by the local physiography and the nature of material readily accessible; for example, granite obtained from the hills is often found used in the cists of the sea-board. It may however be generalized that the uplands are characterized by dolmens and urn burials, plains by rock-cut caves, ‘umbrella’ stones, ‘hood’ stones and menhirs, and the sea-board by cists and urn burials. From none of the megaliths in this region has a full skeleton been reported so far. Typical pottery, iron objects, beads, stone querns and mullers [6.19] have turned up in plenty along with ashes and bones, which indicates that post-cremation burials was the practice of the megalithic people in this part. The rock-cut caves, ‘umbrella’ stones and ‘hood’ stones are diagnostic of the Kerala megalithic culture.