Megalithic Culture of Kerala : A Study of Pamba River Basin

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The present hook deliberates in considerable detail the Megalithic culture of Kerala in general and Pamba River Basin in particular.

Sixty-five megalithic sites and five probable quarry sites reported from the Pamba River Basin so far are individually discussed. Based on the external features certain conclusions are derived such as typology of burial, distribution pattern, orientation of burials, their measurement, etc. Assessment of the pottery details, chemical analysis to evaluate the percentage composition of iron implements and slags (done by using Thermo Scientific Niton XL3t XRF Analyser), preparation of silicone replicas/moulds of the drill holes of beads for the examination of the drilling techniques through Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and application of the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) method for dating the carbon samples have been carried out to understand the characteristics of the material remains unearthed from Niramakulam. Applying the carbon dating techniques at the study area in Niramakulam site had brought out some of its significant features, which happen to be a major factor in deciding the chronology of Megaliths in the Pamba River Basin.

I trust this preliminary effort would be helpful to all stakeholders including the public in studying the Megalithic culture of Kerala in general and Pamba River Basin in particular.

Dr. Ambily C.S. (b. 1986) is working as an Assistant Archaeologist in Archaeological Survey of India, "Dharohar Bhawan", Headquarter, New Delhi. She hails from Kerala and completed her M.A. in Archaeology and Ph.D. from Department of Archaeology, Kariavattom Campus, University of Kerala, Kerala. She has secured first rank in M.A. Archaeology and cleared UGC-JRF in 2008. Her basic research interests are Megalithic Culture of South India, Harappan Studies, Early Historic Period of South India, Iconography and Temple Architecture.

She has participated in several explorations and excavations in different parts of the country. Karanpura and 4 msr (Binjore) in Rajasthan, Sinauli, Barnawa and Chandayan in Uttar Pradesh, Niramakulam, Pattanam & Vizhinjam in Kerala are some of the important excavated sites among them. She has attended number of seminars and workshops and has several articles in national and international journals to her credit.

It gives me great privilege to be writing a forward for the first book by Dr. Ambily C.S. as an author. I have known Dr. Ambily since 2006 after her joining for M.A. in the Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, while I was the Head of the Department. Her nurturing as a sportswoman during school days inculcated her with zeal for hard work, sportsmanship and team-spirit in large measure and hence continues to be one of my favorite protégé.

Academically, she was a bright student and secured the University's first rank for archaeology in her batch (2006-08). Even before completing the M.A. course she secured both NET (2007) and JRF (2008). In 2008-09, she joined for Ph.D. under my supervision and while almost completing her Ph.D. thesis, in 2013 she got posted as an Assistant Archaeologist in the Archaeological Survey of India, Delhi.

This book Megalithic Culture of Kerala: A Study of Pamba River Basin is a modified version of her Ph.D. thesis. Pamba River originates in the Peermedu hill ranges empties into the Vembanad lake after traversing 176 km. Large stretch of the Pamba valley is in Pathanamthitta district which is thickly forested. It was a challenge to explore the area, but she took it up earnestly and kudos for it. She was able to bring to light several new megalithic sites apart from idols and temple ruins. These newly discovered sites and its varied facets have added new knowledge about the anthropogenic activities in the hill ranges ranging from prehistoric to historic periods.

The most important contribution of her work in the region, was the excavation of a characteristic cist burial that flourish in the region. The cist burial at Niramakulam yielded interesting materials and two C14 dates. The materials retrieved from the site were subjected to various specialized studies by experts in the field and these have yielded very interesting results which finds incorporation in this book. In fact, this book can be an eye-opener for researchers and subject experts working on megaliths. This book offers a peep into the developing trends and scientific studies that can be undertaken on artifacts retrieved from megalithic so as to understand the past society's belief, culture, technological knowhow and exchange/trade mechanism. The C14 dates retrieved pushes back the antiquity of megalithic cist burials in the hill ranges to the early historic period. The later date from same cist but from outside indicates the reuse of the same cist site centuries later for some sepulchral activity.

This book is divided into five chapters and adequately illustrated with maps, charts and photographs. The interesting finds and their significance are explained in a descriptive and lucid style.

This being the first book by Dr. Ambily C.S., shortcomings if any, needs to be overlooked as a novice in the field. Despite her official preoccupations I appreciated her for the enthusiasm and hard work she has put together to bring out this book. In academics, you need to keep publishing for your own growth and for the fraternity. I wish and pray that in the coming years she gains more published books and articles to her credit.

This book deliberates in considerable detail the Megalithic culture of the Pamba river basin in the state of South Kerala, India. It is a preliminary attempt to understand the nature of megaliths and associated finds from the Pamba basin. The data available from a host of old and new works and from a survey conducted by the author as part of research work form the basis of the discussion in this treatise. The book starts with a brief review of megalithic studies in the context of the world, followed by India and Kerala, respectively. Typology of the megalithic monuments with type sites in Kerala is also discussed. I believe that it will provide a general idea about the megaliths for the beginners as well the public. Salvage operation conducted at the cist burial sites at Niramakulam that forms a part of the author's doctoral thesis, entitled 'Holocene Archaeology of Pamba Basin' is also discussed in the book under a separate heading. Dense habitation and the lack of excavation at the study area were the most serious impediments experienced against understanding the culture in a proper way. However, an attempt has been made on the basis of available data.

Sixty-five megalithic sites and five probable quarry sites reported from the Pamba basin so far are individually discussed. A list of these sites is provided in a tabular form as well. Based on the external features certain conclusions are derived such as typology of burial, statistics, distribution pattern, orientation of burials, their measurement, etc. The paradigm of erecting megalithic monuments found in the Pamba basin is similar to those found in other parts of the state and adjoining states. Also a list of material remains collected through excavations and explorations/accidental findings have also been made. Additionally, a similar list of the Kerala Megaliths is provided for facilitating a comparative study. The analysis of the material remains from the study area reveals nearly a similar pattern of burial goods in all over Kerala. Burial goods from Niramakulam communicate different facets of the material culture of the Pamba river basin. Assessment of the pottery details, chemical analysis to evaluate the percentage composition of iron implements and slags (done by using Thermo Scientific Niton XL 3t XRF Analyser), preparation of silicone replicas/moulds of the drill holes of beads for the examination of the drilling techniques through Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), application of the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) method for dating the carbon samples, etc. have been carried out to understand the characteristics of the material remains unearthed from the site. Applying the carbon dating techniques at the study area in Niramakulam site had brought out some of its significant features, which happen to be a major factor in deciding the chronology of Megaliths in the Pamba basin.

I would like to make a clarification also here. In my earlier works, it was mistakenly mentioned that both the charcoal samples collected from Niramakulam were from inside the chamber. But in fact, the sample number two was collected from outside the chamber. The detail on the sample is discussed in the respective places of this book. I apologize for this inadvertent error that occurred in reporting.

This work will provide a general database and an empirical reality for the new researches of Megalithic Culture in the Pamba river basin as well as in Kerala. I trust this preliminary effort would be helpful to all the stakeholders including the public in studying the Megalithic Culture of Pamba Basin.