Megalithic cists and cairns with stone circles, "Guduvancheri (Vallamjeri)" In India: History,Facts, & Services
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Megalithic cists and cairns with stone circles, "Guduvancheri (Vallamjeri)" Overview
Megalithic cists and cairns with stone circles, commonly known as Guduvancheri (Vallamjeri) are located in Tamil Nadu, India. They are dated from the Iron Age or earlier, consisting of arrangements of standing stones, some with megalithic cists and others only with stone circles. It is believed that these megaliths have been in place for a long time, some estimated to be as old as 4-5 thousand years. The site serves as the largest megalithic umbrella in South India and has been declared a monument of National Reserve by the Archaeological Society of India.
Megalithic cists and cairns with stone circles, "Guduvancheri (Vallamjeri)" Prominent Features
The Guduvancheri megaliths are made up of cists and cairns, with some having stone circles. The cists are ovoid or egg-shaped structures made of four upright stones forming walls and the fifth forming the earthen cover. The cairns are of two types - with stones arranged in a circle and with stone circles and no cists. The megaliths also include stone counters, standing stones, and stone circles.
Megalithic cists and cairns with stone circles, "Guduvancheri (Vallamjeri)" History
The megaliths at Guduvancheri have been around for a long time. The first documented reference to the megaliths found at Guduvancheri was discovered in 1882. The site remained largely unexplored until much later when it was rediscovered in 1973 by the Archaeological Society of India. In 1994, a survey of the megaliths was conducted and the results were presented in a thesis by S. Mahadevan, who also suggested that the megaliths of Guduvancheri are c. 4500 – 3000 BP.
Megalithic cists and cairns with stone circles, "Guduvancheri (Vallamjeri)" Interesting facts
• The megaliths at Guduvancheri are the largest megalithic umbrella in South India.
• The megaliths are made of four kinds of stones – granite, dolerite, and diorite, and corse grained quartzite.
• Some of the megaliths have been found to be around four to five thousand years old.
• The Guduvancheri megaliths are believed to have been used for rituals and funerary activities.
Explore India most popular tourist destination with us. Megalithic cists and cairns with stone circles, "Guduvancheri (Vallamjeri)" In India: History,Facts, & Services,which is 35.14 km away from India main town, is the most popular destination to add in your travel wishlist.
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City:
India
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state:
Tamil Nadu
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country:
India
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country code:
IN
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postcode:
603303
Location:
Tamil Nadu India