-| Dhamna(Linga) | -
Situated
at Dhamna district Nagpur in state of Maharashtra it is in Megalithic burrial
monument out of which 43 burrials are located in a slope of slightly elivated
platue from south east to south west.
All the excavated magaliths revealed that each burrials has an individual character
and revealed peripheral burrial for the first time in India.All the burials
are east west oriented with the slight deviation of skull on the east.The burials
at this site are in proper alignment . The excavation at this site has revealed
the burial goods comprising of a big lamp stand, a small axe with cross ring
fastener, a nail parer, a double edged axe - all in iron.
A few bones of animals and pottery comprising of red ware, micaceous red ware,
black ware, black and red ware and black on red ware with the main types of
bowls, vases, dishes and basins are also found in association with the iron
implements.
There are many intresting things to be noted at different burials such as No.
19 was noticed thoroughly destroyed by the seasonal rain gully but the close
observation has revealed to be a oval sarcophagy containing the cremeted bones
of a infant with lids to cover them. The most unique finding is a skeleton buried
upside down with its bones coated with red ochere it also has black usual cotton
filling but given a beautiful petal like pebble decoration on the top.
There are various findings of typical megalithic pottery, iron object and most
of them also yielded human skeleton remains comprising of either just a molar
tooth, or number of teeth or skull followed by upper and lower limb bones.In
all the cases the bones are in very bad state of perservation,while the main
burrials, stone circle is filled with black cotton soil and pebbles,the peripheral
burrials are filled with loose brownish to yellow murum with stones capping
as demarcation of each burials.
There are many unusual findings at various burials like No. 17, 01 ,08 (largest),of
which No. 12 A is the smallest of all,while excavation it revealed almost a
complete skeleton of an adult which was kept on bed rock floor along with the
burrials furniture cosisting of pots,bowls,dishes and iron object placed on
southern side.Also a pit was found which was filled with black cotton soil and
pabbles.
The
south eastern quadarant yielded copper object including an invertedly kept basin,a
deep bowl with multyple birds finial lid,iron objects like cross ring fastener
axe,spoon with broken handle and few semiprecious beads.Other burials furniture
includes typical megalithic pottery along with an hour glass shapped bowl in
black and red ware.
The south western quadarant revealed iron object and a pair of small impure
gold rings of child. As small fraction of this huge burials site has been excavated
till yet it is presumed that more excavation in other clusters would revealed
many more intresting evidences of the age.
Dhamna(Linga)- Pre Historic,
Archaeology in India Reservation Form