14-07-2025
Iron Age graves discovered in Shidlaghatta
Chikkaballapura: In a remarkable archaeological find, more than ten massive Iron Age graves have been unearthed on a hilltop near Maddegarahalli in Bashettahalli hobli of Shidlaghatta taluk, revealing traces of ancient life that date back about 2,300 years.
This is the first time such a significant Stone Age settlement has come to light in the taluk, offering fresh insights into the region's forgotten past. The graves, also known as kalgoris or kalmane, are megalithic burial structures made from rough rocks and slabs, each measuring between 1.5 and 2 meters in expert K. Dhanapal, who is carrying out a village-wise survey under the Archaeology Department, along with Karnataka Janapada Parishad president A.M. Thyagaraj, discovered these burial sites during their recent exploration.
'These graves belong to the Iron Age megalithic culture, which flourished around 300 BC,' said Dr. Shivatarak, a scholar who has studied similar sites. 'These structures give us clues about how the people of that time lived. When they died due to diseases or other reasons, they were buried together, often near water sources.'
Karnataka is rich in such megalithic sites, with over 1,440 large rock burial locations identified across the state. The site at Hirebenkal in Koppal district holds the largest number of rock tombs and has even been proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Similar large burial sites have been found in Arabi Kothanur and Koira villages in Kolar.
The discovery in Shidlaghatta is expected to draw more research and may put the region on the map for archaeological studies of ancient human settlements in southern India.
