Telangana To Excavate Mudumal Megalithic Site in Sept
Heritage department plans digs in September as it seeks World Heritage status
Hyderabad: Telangana is set to commence archaeological excavations at the Mudumal megalithic site in Narayanpet district in September as it works towards securing Unesco World Heritage status for the 3,000-year-old site.
Currently, the megalithic site is on Unesco’s tentative list. Excavations will help the government to pitch for the Unesco tag strongly, and the heritage department has secured required permissions from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for the excavations.
Heritage department officials said the excavations are expected to shed light on the chronology, cultural landscape and lifestyle of the prehistoric communities that erected the megalithic monuments. The findings would further strengthen the site’s conservation efforts and support its nomination for a permanent tag for Unesco’s world heritage list.
In addition, the heritage department is undertaking developmental activities, including the construction of visitor accommodation units, a site office, an eight-kilometre approach road, relocation of overhead power lines, basic amenities, establishment of a dedicated documentation team, and a scientific stratigraphic survey of the site.
Minister Vakiti Srihari on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the development of the megalithic Park. Speaking at the event, Veda Kumar, the chairman of the Deccan Heritage Academy Trust, described the inclusion of the Mudumal megalithic site in Unesco’s world heritage tentative list as a landmark achievement for Telangana. He said the megalithic standing stones represent an example of ancient astronomical knowledge.
