A huge stone from the Iron Age, known as menhir, was spotted on the roadside at Ellarigudem, a hamlet of Beechrajupalli village in Maripeda mandal of Mahaboobabad district.
Archaeologist E. Sivanagireddy, who is the CEO of Pleach India Foundation, said it was noticed during his survey of archaeological and heritage remains in Maripeda mandal on Sunday under ‘Preserve Heritage for Posterity’ programme.
The menhir, according to him, belongs to the Iron Age (3,500 years old) erected in memory of a dead person, measuring six feet in height and three feet in diameter. It was buried under three feet during the road formation. He said that Sriramoju Haragopal, convenor, Kotha Telangana Charitra Brindam, has confirmed that the menhir belongs to the Megalithic period and its peculiarity lies in its white colour.
Former director of GSI, K. Mahendarreddy said the Iron Age menhir is a leuco granite (weathered and comprises almost negligible mafic minerals) stone category and holds a lot of historical importance in terms of geology.
Based on its archaeological significance, Dr. Sivanagireddy sensitised the local community to preserve it for posterity by arranging a barricade around it, apart from a plaque embossed with the details.
