An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c28.295

v2.c28.295

**Amirthamangalam**, Dt Chingleput, with an immense number of urn burials [4.17] without any apparent lithic appendage, in the lateritic zone of the region. Excavation of a few urns under N.R. Banerjee of the ASI in 1954-5 (*IAR 1954-5*, p. 20) showed that the handmade coarse and thick urns, oval to roundish in shape and with rolled rims and with or without additional decorations below, had been placed in larger pits cut into the lateritic gravel or even into the lateritic bed-rock [9.6]. Their contents were disarticulated and excarnated bones including the skull, long bones, loosened teeth and rib fragments placed at the bottom and over them were a few Black-and-red Ware [11.15.3] pots and a few iron objects. The urns were then filled up with earth and covered with dome-shaped lids with rolled rims. The pits were thereafter covered up and a few cut pieces of laterite were placed along the edge. The pits were sealed by a layer of loose gravel. —A. GHOSH