Rare Human-Like Menhirs Found in Mulugu

Warangal: In a major archaeological discovery, history research scholar Sangu Venkat Reddy of Kakatiya University on Thursday unearthed three rare human-shaped menhirs atop Jajirala Hill in Bommai Gudem village, Mangapet Mandal. Each stone sculpture measures approximately 3.5 feet in height and 2 feet in width, and features distinctly carved anthropomorphic details — a head, rectangular torso, shoulders, and waist — suggesting an early form of stone artistry.

Venkat Reddy, who dates the menhirs to the Megalithic period (1100 BCE–300 BCE), explained that these monoliths were likely erected as symbolic guardians of burial sites. “Their anthropomorphic form indicates a belief in life after death, with the menhirs standing vigil over the interment chambers below,” he said.

Jajirala Hill is already recognised as a major megalithic locus, housing hundreds of dolmen burial chambers. In the surrounding region — at Suragundaiah Gutta, Sudda Gutta, and Kappalaiah Gutta — over 500 similar structures have been documented, underscoring the area’s rich prehistoric heritage.

Venkat noted that both male and female figures are known from regional menhir traditions, the latter sometimes depicted with carved breasts. “A rare female anthropomorphic menhir at Thottigutta in Bhadradri Kothagudem district offers a parallel example,” he added. Other notable sites with human-shaped menhirs include Galaba and Kachanapalli in Bhadradri Kothagudem, Kothur Motlagudem, Mallur and Mangapet in Mulugu, and Kesaram in Yadadri Bhongir district.

The scholar also highlighted continuities in local memorial customs among tribal communities such as the Gonds, Mariyas, Savaras, and Kurumbas, who maintain ancestral burial markers in stone. In Kodakandla village (Jangaon district), such stones are even worshipped as protective deities, known locally as “Bayyanna.”

This discovery not only sheds new light on the spiritual and artistic expressions of ancient megalithic societies but also reinforces the cultural significance of Mulugu district as a key site for prehistoric studies.