Neglected Iron Age menhir in Kamasanpalli village faces destruction

Hyderabad

An Iron Age menhir, a memorial pillar locally known as ‘Niluvu Rayi’ found in Kamasanpalli village of Nagarkurnool district, faces neglect.

The menhir, believed to have been erected around 1500 BCE possibly to commemorate the death of an important person and highlight ancient funerary practices, was spotted in an agricultural field near Dindi River.

Archaeologist E. Sivanagireddy, who is also the CEO of Pleach India Foundation, visited the site on Thursday, and raised concerns about the condition of the menhir. Measuring 8 foot in height, 2.5 foot in width, and 1.5 foot in girth, the granite structure is leaning eastward and is at the risk of being destroyed due to ongoing agricultural activity.

Local agriculturists revealed that several Iron Age burial sites, marked by circular boulder formations, had already been cleared during land reclamation in the area.