The megalithic site of Hirebenkal, built over 2000 years ago, is the largest necropolis in India. Located in North Karnataka, it contains roughly 400 megalithic funerary monuments, dated to the transition period between Neolithic and the Iron Age periods. The funerary monuments are located on a rocky range of seven hillocks. Hirebenkal is famous for its dolmens-three-sided chambers that are 8-10 feet tall, with larger stone slabs called capstones for roofs. The site also hosts a stone kettledrum on a 33-foot-high boulder. The boulder, when struck with a stone or wooden hammer, produces sounds that can be heard up to 1 km away.
The site under consideration is megalithic burial complex at Hire Benkal in Gangavati Taluka, Koppal District, state of Karnataka, INDIA, a Centrally Protected Site under Archaeological Survey of India, Hampi Circle. The site is located on top of castellated granite hillock within the zone of peninsular gneissic complex of the Dharwad series of rocks. The site is approachable from 3kms southeast of Hire Benkal village.
The megaliths on the hill, encompassing an area of nearly 20 ha. are situated at three different localities, spread in an east – west orientation, together to a distance of about 1 km. The three clusters could be classified as the western group, central group and the eastern group. The distance between each cluster is roughly 200m. The western group lies close to a granite quarry of the Megalithic period, which also served as a perennial waterhole. Several subtypes that have been identified at Hire Benkal are as follows: Port-holed Dolmenoid Cist – Circles, Oblong Dolmenoid Cists or Cists with or without port-holes, Irregular polygonal chambers, Rock Shelter Chambers, Anthropomorphic, etc.
Credit : UNESCO
Picture Credit : Google
