Early
Historic Sites
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Peddabankur
-
Dhulikatta
-
Kotilingala
-
Yeleswaram
-
Keesaragutta
-
Edithanur
-
Majeru
-
Gunadala,
-
Lingampally
Peddabankur:
It is located in Peddapalli Taluk,
Karimnagar district. It is an early
historic habitation site. The
excavations here revealed /exposed
apsidal rubbled walled structures, brick
structures, brick built and terracotta
wolf etc. It also revealed punch marked
coins, Roman and Satavahana coins; Iron
objects include agricultural, carpentary
and domestic implements, weapons such as
spear heads, spikes, arrow heads etc.,
other antiquities include seals, beads
and bangles, terracotta and Kayolin
human figures, antimony rods, dice, coin
moulds etc. The Ceramic Industry include
red and black ware, red polished, dull
red ware, black polished ware. The shape
of pottery include storage jars, water
vessels, carinated bowls, lid cum bowls,
deep bowls, dishes, globular vessels,
spherical bowls, lotas, pyriform
vessels, ring stands etc.
One terracotta seal
is inscribed in Brahmi as'Mahatalavarasa
Vajasamika Seva Sabha' A beautiful horse
without trappings was stamped in the
middle of the inscription. At the back
of the seal, is an impression of head.
The Brahmi characters are datable to 1st
C.A.D.
Dhulikatta
It is located in
Peddapalli Taluk of Karimnagar district.
Excavations in this early historic site
exposed brick built remains of gateways,
Mahastupa, residential houses, wells,
punch marked, Roman and Satavahana
coins, beads, iron objects, dice,
terracotta beads, ivory seals, bangle
pieces, ivory combs, gold objects,
measures, bronze figure of mother and
child (Ankadhathri) etc.
The pottery yielded from the site
include dark- red ware, black and red
ware, red ware, black polished ware, tan
ware, pale red ware etc. Types of
pottery include storage jars, jars,
water vessels, carinated bowls, lid cum
bowls, deep bowls, dishes, globular
vessels, lotas, pyriform vessels etc.
Dhulikatta excavation has yielded an
exquisitely carved ivory seal in the
shape of cup on a pedestal. It has a
Brahmi inscription datable to 2nd CAD,
which reads "Ajani Siriya Game Kumariya".
In the middle of the inscription some
numericals are inscribed which may
indicate number seven.
Another important
find is the mother and child (Ankadhatri)
casted in bronze/copper. The mother is
seated on a pedestal with legs dangling.
She holds a child in her left hand while
the right hand rests on her knee. The
figure may be dated to Circa 2nd C.B.C.
Kotilingala
This early historic site is located
in Peddapalli Taluk of Karimnagar
district. Excavations at the place
exposed brick built wells, drains,
granaries, apsidal houses with rubble
foundations, early historic pottery,
Brahmi label inscriptions, beads, a good
number of punch marked coins, pre
Satavahana and Satavahana coins. Other
antiquities include dice, bangle pieces,
moulds, beads of semi precious and
terracottas, ivory combs, weights, shell
bangles, terracotta figures etc.
Yeleswaram
It is located in Devarakonda taluk of
Nalgonda district. In this early
historic site, excavations exposed six
cultural periods ranging from Neolithic,
Megalithic and early historical. In
megalithic levels, Dolmenoid cist, cist
with post hole, cairn circle and urn
burials were exposed. The characteristic
pottery consists of black and red ware
was recorded from these burials. Iron
implements like Javelin, chisels were
recorded.
In Early historical
levels, bathing ghat with steps, mandapa,
Chaitya and the stupas were exposed. The
antiquities include beads, iron objects,
Satavahana coins, hop scotches, whet
stones, stone rubber, glass and shell
bangle pieces, terracotta figures etc.
Roman coins, hoards of coins relating to
Satavahana, Ikshvakus, Vishnukundinis,
Early Chalukyas, Vijayanagara, Brahmi,
Qutub Shahi were recorded during the
course of excavation. Inscriptions of
various dynasties Viz., Western
Chalukyas, Telugu Cholas, Kakatiyas and
yadavas were found at the site.
Keesaragutta
It is an early site. Excavations were
conducted during the field season
1982-83 to 1984-85. Exposed temples
built of brick, rectangular structure
having five cells with verandah, with
square garbagriha, three celled
structures along with antiquities such
as shell bangles, coins, stucco figures,
stone plaque of Mother Goddess (Laja
Gauri), lingas of crystal, Vishnukundin
coins, pottery circles, red ware, black
ware and grey ware.
A very interesting
object exposed during excavations is
Garbhapatra made of clay. Globular pots
decorated with seven snakes, all
encircling the body with five hammer
figures at the shoulders were recovered.
AD the five figures appear like females
represented with prominent breasts. The
lid is like a finial shape and crowned
by a male figure squatting on a lotus
pedestal. This patra probably intended
to keep precious materials at the time
of consecrating of the temple. Such type
of practices are in vogue in Jaina and
Buddhist religions.
The depiction of five
celestial elements (panchabhutas) namely
Agni (fire), Jala (water), Vayu (air),
Akasa (ether), and Bhumi (earth) are
symbolically represented in human form
and the top figure over the lid
encircled by a serpent is probably a
Vastu Purusha (Vastha spathi). The two
snakes over the pot might be the retinue
of celestial (Vasuki and Aaragale). As
such, the pot may be symbolic
representation of the Universe guarded
by five elements and celestial serpents.
It may also represent mother earth
impregnated with food grains and
precious stones, guarded by nagas.
On the basis of
associated early historical cultural
material and structures the site mav be
dated to 4th-5th centuries A.D.
Edithanur
The village
is approached from Sangareddy, the
district head quarters of Medak Dist, by
Narsapur road via Ismailkhanpet or from
Hyd. There are hillocks near Edithanur
village located in northern and eastern
side of the village. These chain of
granites hills are marked with natural
caves, tunnels and cavities
chawdammagutta is a hillock located on
the west of Siddeswaragutta. In the rock
shelters of Chowdammagutta were noticed
some paintings. Excavations were
conducted at the site to know the
stratigraphy of the site. On the basis
of the live sketches, subject matter,
theme and color used in rock paintings.
Edithanur is earlier than rock paintings
found at Budigapalli, Ketavaram and
Ongol but later than Bethamcherla cave
paintings. The results of minor
excavations carried out at Edithanur
enabled to date the rock paintings to a
period from Mesolithic to megalithic
period.
Majeru
Majeru
is a small village situated 10 kms from
Machilipatnam. According to the Buddhist
chronicles this place was known as
Majerika vishasya village can be reached
either from Machilipatnam or from
Chellapalli by road. During exploration,
ancient habitation mounds were noticed
towards northeast of village, covering
an area of 10 to 15 acres in extent.
These mounds were locally known as �Kummaridoddi
delta�, �Gangammadibba�,and Ramaldibba.
A minor excavation was taken to know the
structural and cultural potentiality of
the site.
Antiquities: - Besides the
brick structures of early hostoric
period, an array of antiquities such as
beads, bangle pieces, iron objects were
recorded. Ceramic industry includes
highly polished grayware with medium to
thin fabric was recovered along with
usual early historic potsherds.
Gunadala
It
is located at a distance of 6 kms from
Vijayawada RTC Bus stand on Vijayawada -
Eluru road. A minor excavation was taken
up at an extensive Neolithic site
located at Bishop Grace High school,
Gunadala at the northern foot of a
hillock locally known as Gunadala Konda.
Two trenches were laid measuring 6x3 cms
each on the southwest corner of the
playground of the school.
Trench I :-
This trench was dug upto a depth of 30
cms. and two layers were exposed. Black
and red coarse variety, gray and brown
ware, skeletal remains, stance bell,
broken quern, a muller, four spherical
stones, onesteatite bead, some animal
bones were recorded from this trench.
Trench II: -
The digging in this trench exposed four
layers. A floor with postholes was
exposed. Two pot burials were exposed in
the eastern part of the trench. The
potency is coarse red/gray and hand
made. The other pottery yielded from
this trench are course and gray ware.
Another pot with bones was exposed in
the north � eastern corner of the
trench. Pottery: The pottery yielded
from this excavation is coarse, thick
and surface unslipped. The color varied
from reddish brown to dull brown and
dark gray. Most of the pottery is plain.
Some of these has nail incision
decoration.
Lingampally
Lingampally, a megalithic burial site,
was first reported in 1935 by D.G.
Mackenzie, a resident of Hyderabad.
Presently, it is located in the premises
of University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli
in Rangareddy District. This site was
protected under the Act VIII of 1337 F
and of H.E.H Nizam�s Govt and later by
Govt of A.P. under A.P.Historical
Monuments, Arcaeological sites and
Remains Act of 1970.
The site is located
on the right side of security office in
the university within in the campus. It
extends 5 to 6 acres in area and
presently seen with few disturbed and
undisturbed cairn circles of which, a
cairn burial encompassed by undressed
stones in two circles and a huge Menhir
(15 �high and 3" width at the base) on
northern side is selected for
excavation. The inner circle which is
found undisturbed contains 18 Nos of
stones and measures 10.50 mts in
diameter.
Functional Aspect of
Menhir :-
The religious belief
is planting a long stone or stone post (Menhir)
near by the burial indicates the faith
in existence of soul after death. It
appears that the ancient man believes
that the soul of the dead transforms
into a bird, leaves the grave and site
or the Menhir and flies to the nearby
fields for pecking food grains etc.
After completion of day�s work, the bird
returns and sits on the stone and
transforms into soul, enters into the
grave. Hence, these Memoirs are
considered as " soul thrones " or seats.
The Menhir also serves as a �Land Marks
� or guiding post to the soul.
Generally, occurrence of Menhir on the
northern side of the grave indicates the
position of the head in the grave, when
it is in north � south orientation. In
some cases, it also indicates the
passage to the pit of the grave.
Chronology: - The
occurrence of red-ware urn-posts with
appliqué designs at shoulder level along
with megalithic pottery types of black
and red were, obviously suggest a
transition stage from Neolithic �
chalcolithic to Iron age. In course of
removal of filled earth from the pit
several microlithric implements were
recovered right from the upper level to
to the floor level of the pit. The
occurrence of these monoliths from the
red-soil horizon obviously suggests that
the area was initially interacted by the
Mesolithic man in 10,000 B.C.
Interestingly, the survey in and around
the area of the site resulted in
discovery of several Neolithic grooves
exposed rock-boulders, suggesting the
occupation of the site by the Neolithic
folk in about 2500 B.C. Thus, the
excavation facilitated to document a
complete picture of human activity right
from Mesolithic/upper Palaeolithic times
to Neolithic and from Neolithic to
Megalithic/Iron age times in and around
megacity of Hydcwerabad, chronologically
ranging,a period from about 10,000 B.C.
to 1000 B.C.
Hasmathpet
:- Hasmathpet (17o 30 N and 78 "32�E )
is a tiny village, which lies at a
distance of 6 kms from Secunderabad in
R.R district, and it can be approached
via old Bowenpalli, the site is situated
just adjacent to the village on the
northern side. The site was first
noticed by late Dr Walker and later
visited by Col Meadows Taylor, an
eminent archaeologist. Subsequently, Dr
Bellow Captain Doris excavated few
burials and unearthed a brass bell,
pottery and an iron chain. Again
excavation was taken up by the Dept of
Archeology of the erstwhile Nizam�s
dominions under the supervision of Sri
D.G. Mackenzie in 1934-35 with an aim to
study cultural aspects of the site.
After a span of 35 years, again in the
year 1971, excavations were conducted at
the same sit by the dept in
collaboration with Birla Archeological
and Cultural Research Inst, Hyd. Two
undisturbed burials were excavated and
from which valuable cultural materials
were recovered. During the year
2000-2001, three burials have been taken
up for excavations to study the cultural
aspects of the site. These burials are
termed as Meg I, Meg II and Meg III.
Geesukonda: -
A minor Excavation
has been conducted at an early historic
site located in the outskirts of
Geesukonda (v) of mandal headquarters in
Warangal dist by the Dept in Nov 2000.
Geesukonda is located at a distance of
15 kms from Warangal which can be
approached by road. Excavation were
taken up at Geesukonda and four trenches
of different measurements were laid.
Prominent among the antiquities
discovered in the trenches are a tiny
crystal bead in barrel shape, terracotta
beads, a head of Bodhisattva made of
kaolin. The figure though small is very
beautiful with half closed eyes thick
nose, thick lips and prominent chin and
ushnisha on the forehead. The face is
oval. This Bodhisattva figurine can be
compared with those discovered at
Kondapur. |
