An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s17.122

v1.c9.s17.122

(8) Transepted cist: A transepted cist is an underground box-like structure with a main chamber and an antechamber. The four orthostats of the main chamber are arranged in *svastika* pattern, with a floorstone and a capstone. The antechamber with three independent orthostats is sited against the n. half of the port-holed e. orthostat, which makes the fourth side. The main chamber is divided into two halves by a slab-on-edge placed e.-w. The s. half is divided again into three smaller cells by placing two orthostats and by covering the cells by a separate slab. Funerary goods are arranged in these three cells, but smaller objects like beads, bones and iron objects may also be placed on the slab covering the cells or in the antechamber. The large pit into which the structure is sited is filled with clay, and on the surface the whole structure is surrounded by a stone circle, usually of lateritic blocks. On an average the main chamber measures 2·50 × 1·50 m and is 1·50 m high. The antechamber measures 1 × ·50 m. The stone circles have a diameter of 5 to 10 m. Two transepted cists excavated at MACHAD and PAZHAYANNUR did not reveal any skeleton (Mehta and George, 1978).