An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s17.90

v1.c9.s17.90

Curiously enough, while burial sites are found in hundreds, identified habitation sites number not more than a dozen. Excavations of the habitation sites near the burials at BRAHMAGIRI and MASKI have exposed an Iron Age Black-and-red Ware [11.15.3] level containing pottery of the same types and fabric as that found in the excavated burials. Thus the cultural level is identified as that of the Iron Age Megalithic culture. Similar Megalithic cultural deposits are found at CHANDRAVALLI, HALLUR and T. NARSIPUR, but they are not related to the neighbouring megaliths at the second site and no megaliths have been traced near the last. At the first site an earlier excavation (Krishna, 1931) had exposed some six oblong cist burials concealed in the debris of early historical habitation. At BRAHMAGIRI and SANGANAKALLU particularly and other sites excepting MASKI there is a distinct overlap between the earlier and the following cultures. But at MASKI there is a break between the preceding Chalcolithic [4.14.8] and the succeeding early historical cultures.