Hyderabad: While an excavations at the largest capstone menhir burial site is in full swing, archaeologists unearthed a stone axe and 10 bone pieces at a nearby stone circle burial site at Neremetta of Naganur mandal of Siddipet district on Thursday.
The state department of archaeology and museums also began excavation at Palamukula, 10 km from Neremetta, where they found a stone circle burial.
The state department of archaeology and museums also began excavation at Palamukula, 10 km from Neremetta, where they found a stone circle burial. “We have found a stone hand-held axe and 10 bone pieces from the site. They will be sent for DNA analysis,” Mr P. Nagaraju, assistant director of the department, told this newspaper.
All eyes are on what lay beneath the pre-historic menhir burial site where archaeologists lifted a 40-ton capstone, said to be the largest in South India.
“Excavation work is on. We have to dig at least one metre. We hope to find skeletons,” Mr Nagaraju said. The state has several menhirs, stone circles, dolmens and dolmonoid cyst-type pre-historic burials.The menhir burial sites date back to 1000 BC to 200 AD.
Department director N.R. Visalatchy is leading a team of archaeologists including Mr Nagaraju, assistant directors Ramulu Naik and Dr K. Padmanabha and archaeology consultant S.S. Rangacharyulu.
