An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c46.171

v2.c46.171

The excavated houses or huts fall into three categories: (1) circular, with lower portions built of wattle and daub and with conical thatched roof resting on bamboos or wooden posts planted into the red *murram*; (2) circular, with sides partially supported or buttressed by heavy stone boulders but otherwise similar to the above; and (3) square or rectangular structures built against huge boulders for support and stability. An example of a circular house having post-holes at intervals ranging from 23 to 27 cm had a small refuse-pit slightly away from the structure and contained animal bones and other dumps. Another and bigger one was surrounded and buttressed by boulders. The depressions in the floors were filled up with stone chips levelled and then platered over with mud. Sometimes the roof was supported by a single central pillar/post and the sides were made of bamboo screens plastered with mud. Such houses together with the rectangular ones belong to the later phase. For placing legged storage jars flat stones were utilized. Rectangular platforms of baked earth with circular pot-rests also served the same purpose. It would be interesting to observe that the present-day Boyas of Tekkalakotta still construct circular huts with conical thatched roofs.