Northeast Indian megaliths: Monuments and social structures

Megaliths of the World - Edited by Luc Laporte, Jean-Marc Large, Laurent Nespoulous, Chris Scarre, Tara Steimer-Herbet, 2022

At the core of archaeological disciplines lies the urge to reconstruct narratives of past human life and the meanings behind the material remains found today. The distant past of prehistoric archaeology requires aids to attempt such reconstructions and analogical reasoning constitutes one important approach in this regard. Comparative research strategies including the use of recent ethnoarchaeological case studies hold high potential as they provide opportunities to engage in current archaeological debates and are especially suitable for the study of complex phenomena, such as megalith building traditions. This paper presents a comparative study using both quantitative and qualitative data sets and perspectives. The recent case studies include remarks on the social mechanism influential for megalith building activities on the island of Sumba, Indonesia, and the southern area of Nagaland, Northeast India. Both examples show striking similarities, on a structural basis, with concern to activities and mechanisms of feasting activities, economic inequalities and the collective efforts involved in the process of megalith building. Yet, the case studies are characterized by particularities and individual strategies of given communities, both within the regions of interest and within the broader comparison between them. These particularities represent individual interpretations and expressions of overarching mechanisms and deserve the same attention as the structural similarities. This study shows that comparative approaches should use and combine both qualitative and quantitative approaches, thus enabling a comparative synthesis of different case studies while at the same time avoiding generalizations of broader regional frameworks.

2019

The practice of setting up megalithic monuments among the Nagas was widespread and associated with their social, economic and ritual ties. It is also an important attribute of identity. With no written records, it is the presence of such monuments that gives us the understanding of the past and present. Among the archaeological remains, megaliths form an important asset for reconstructing the prehistory and cultural heritage of the Nagas. The paper attempts to present a brief report on the megalithic traditions from different dialect-speaking villages: Chizami (Khezha) in Phek District, Nsong and Nzauna (Zeme) in Peren District, Sumi (Sumi) in Phek District, which have been selected from various communities that apply megalithic practices. The variation in rituals and other aspects associated with megalithic practices and the types of monument are observed and recorded. The data presented here is the outcome of the ethnoarchaeological investigations in the above-mention villages.

The study of megalithic monuments is of great importance as it reflects the identity and other important aspects of the society practicing it. Megalithic structures are known from different parts of Nagaland. However, the Chakhesang and Angami Naga have been practicing this tradition most commonly and extensively. The practice of erecting megalithic is one of the most striking features of the Chizami village of Chakhesang Naga. Chezami people practiced erection of megalithic monuments in various ways which has social, religious and economic implications attached to it. This paper attempts to record in brief the different types of megalithic monuments and its purposes among Chizami people.

The Archaeology of Knowledge Traditions of the Indian Ocean World, edited by Himanshu Prabha Ray, 2020

The disposal of death is one of the most ancient traditions in human past traced back right from the prehistoric times. By the time, with the idea of ancestor worship it has been transformed into more sophisticated burial custom and man began to erect monuments as memorials. Megalithic phase in India is largely associated with Early Iron Age shows distinct variety of burial traditions and rituals associated with them. In India, the heritage of Megalithic burials lies in its living traditions followed by the present tribal and ethnic communities in various parts of the country. In Jharkhand, many tribal communities are still practices Megalithism. This particular paper is concerned with the Megalithic tradition followed by the Munda community of Jharkhand. The present work is a case study of the Living Megalithic Traditions among the Munda community of a particular village in Ranchi District of Jharkhand, lies in Chotanagpur Plateau. It is a little attempt to study the burial practices of the community in comparison to their ancestral society, the other Munda communities in the region as well as other contemporary tribal groups within a region.

Quarterly Journal of The Mythic Society, 2024

The ancient practice of megalithic erection and engraving on natural rock surfaces has left behind invaluable archaeological remnants that provide insight into the culture of past societies. In the North East region of India, some tribal communities have partaken in these practices, leaving behind a trail of megaliths and petroglyphs. The present study delves into the fascinating world of archaeology, specifically focusing on the Khoupum Taluk region. Through an ethnoarchaeological lens. The study examines the recently discovered Megaliths and Petroglyphs of Rongmei Naga, shedding new light on the archaeological landscape of the area. This study is based on the analysis of fresh data collected from recently discovered archaeological sites, which offer a unique perspective on the rich history and cultural significance of the region. The preliminary findings of this research highlight the variations, orientations, and functions of megalithic monuments, as well as the symbolism in the types of petroglyphs found in the study area. The results of the study show that the megalithic monuments and petroglyphs among the Rongmei people serve as commemorations of deceased persons, showcasing their possessions and activities during festivals and petroglyphs provide a glimpse into the beliefs and rituals of the community, serving various purposes. The investigation has revealed a rather concerning discovery that most of the megaliths and petroglyphs existing in the area are in a state of severe neglect and disrepair, and are on the brink of extinction and it is essential to preserve and document them before they are lost forever.

Journal of Neolithic Archaeology, 2019

The state of Odisha is one of the most important regions for tribal groups and we fnd 62 major types of ethnic communities belonging to different language families. Although numbers of scholars have widely reported on different aspects of tribal religion, beliefs, practices and a few kinds of literature give some information about the living megalithic tradition, we do not have adequate data on their distribution pattern in this region. However, the present work is based on the recent work on the living megalithic tradition of Munda communities. Up to now, many papers have been published on the Mundas but no one has reflected on the living megalithic tradition. Finally, the paper, still at its preliminary stage, gives us some information about their distribution and some other information related to the funeral rituals and megalithic tradition

IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science

Megalithic monuments are not the simple resultant anthropogenic structure but are the immovable media that embody deeper set of meanings relating to how the material themselves are perceived and understood to the builders within a social system. Hence, their significant manipulation as external symbolic storage is well connected with the peoples' cultural mundane deportment. And the collective and complex cultural identities of the builders may be perceived through cultural channels intentional treatment of these monuments that allow us for a better identification of different layers of social identity. The present paper is an attempt to explore such domains related to the living megalithic tradition among the Poumai Naga tribes who inhabit the Oinam village in the Senapati District, Manipur (India). It is seen that the Poumai traditional way of erecting large stone monuments is related with their materialization as external symbolic storage, manifesting one's wealth and attainment of social status, and thus acts a material means to communicate and manipulate ideas to the viewers.

Herittage, 2018

Last few years’ research in the state of Odisha has brought to light several megalithic sites of ethnic community and most of them belong to Austro‐Asiatic group of family. Their megalithic structure is as that of other ethnic communities that follow megalithism in the present day in the central eastern part of India. During the course of our research, we have noticed many changes that have occurred on their funeral rituals, beliefs and cultural tradition. Different factors were responsible for their changes. However, in this paper, we have given some observation on changing tradition and beliefs, its responsible factors; problem and prospect in future research on living megalithic tradition.

2016

Copyright © 2013 Manjula Poyil. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attri-bution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The study of mortuary practices of Megalithic communities and its use as the basis for reconstructing the past society is unique in archaeology as it represents the direct and purposeful culmination of conscious behavior of the followers of this cultural trait. There are voluminous studies on the Megalithic builders of South India, including Kerala, written by prominent archaeologists and anthropologists from the early decades of the nineteenth century. Most of them ignored the continuity of Megalithic tradition, except a scant reference to the erection of funeral edifices among tribes like the Kurumbas and Mudugas of Attap-padi and Mala-arayans of the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. A study of the living Megalithic practices provid...

Ancient Asia

In this paper, we present the archaeological findings from the western region of Manipur, specifically the Tamenglong and Noney districts, which are characterised by hilly terrain and are inhabited mainly by the Rongmei, Liangmai, Zeme, Inpui, and some other tribes like Hmars, Thadous, Gangte and Chirus. Fieldwork was conducted during the dry winter seasons of 2021 and 2022. The findings highlight the strong connection between the megaliths and the traditional religious and social practices of "headhunting". The presence of flat stones for placing decapitated heads and fortified village gates in every Naga village indicates the prevalence of these practices across different tribes. The exploration documents (n=145) megaliths (mostly standing stones and sitting platforms) along with the engravings. Engravings found on the megaliths and the natural rock surfaces encompass symbols, including footprints, counting symbols, animal depictions, human figures, etc. However, many of these megaliths are in poor condition, with weathering and human vandalism contributing to losing their original meanings. The study also proves the preservation of these megalithic localities by educating the local population about their cultural heritage and encouraging community engagement to ensure their protection for future generations.

Documenta Praehistorica

The Tiwa community is one of the autochthonous communities of Northeast India. An important aspect of Tiwa culture is the erection of stone monuments during the celebration of Chongkhong Phuja. This ceremony is performed before the commencement of their yearly agricultural cycle which falls in late April and continues to early May. On this occasion, a menhir and table stone are erected by the head priest of the Tiwa village, who then invokes their village guardian deity to call for a better harvest as well as for the wellbeing of the villagers. This elaborate ceremony marks the beginning of the agricultural season for the year, following which the villagers commence their agricultural activities. This paper deals with the performance of Chongkhong Phuja and the associated living megalithic tradition among the Hill Tiwas residing in the Umswai Valley. It also documents the oral traditions associated with the origin of the megalithic tradition in the community. As most of the living m...