How do we understand the ecological concerns of the megalith period through archaeology and literature?

A megalith is a stone which is larger in size and has been used to construct a monument or a structure. The monument or the structure has been constructed either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic has been used to describe buildings built by people living in many different periods from many parts of the world. The construction of this type of structures took place mainly in the Neolithic and continued into the Chalcolithic Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age.

There are large numbers of megaliths found all over world but we may group the similar types together. The types of megalithic structures can be divided into two categories, the “Polylithic type” and the “Monolithic type”. In polylithic type more than one stone is used to make the megalithic structure. In monolithic type the structure consists of a single stone. Following are the different megalithic structures.

Polylithic types

Dolmen: This is a type of megalith which is made in single chamber tomb, usually consisting of three or more upright stones supporting a large flat horizontal capstone. Dolmens were usually covered with earth or smaller stones to form a barrow. But in many cases that covering has weathered away, leaving only the stone “skeleton” of the burial mound intact.

Cairn: A Cairn is a human-made pile of stones, often in conical form. They are usually found in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, or near waterways. In modern times Cairns are often erected as landmarks. In ancient times they were erected as sepulchral monuments or used for practical and astronomical purposes. These vary from loose, small piles of stones to elaborate feats of engineering.

Cromlekh: Cromlekh is a British word used to describe prehistoric megalithic structures, where crom means “bent” and llech means “flagstone”. The term is now virtually obsolete in archaeology, but remains in use as a colloquial term for two different types of megalithic monument.

Cist: A cist or kist was used as encasements for dead bodies. It might have associations with other monuments. It would not be uncommon to find several cists close with each other in the cairn or barrow. The presence of ornaments within an excavated cist, indicate the wealth or prominence of the interred individual.

Monolithic type

Menhir: A Menhir is a stone Monolithic standing vertically. It could also exist as part of a group of similar stones. They have different sizes with uneven and square shapes, often tapering towards the top. Menhirs are widely distributed across different continents viz., Europe, Africa, and Asia, but are most commonly found in Western Europe; in particular in Ireland, Great Britain and Brittany. Their origin dates back to pre-history. They are members of a larger Megalithic culture that flourished in Europe and beyond.

Stone Circle: A Stone Circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle usually dated to megalithic period. The arrangement of the stones may be in a circle, in the form of an ellipse, or more rarely a setting of four stones laid on an arc of a circle. The type varies from region to region.

In 1872, Fergusson brought out his excellent work entitled “Rude Stone Monuments in all Countries: their age and uses. This first attracted the attention of scholars. Although Babington (1823) had published his book, “Descriptions of the Pandoo Coolies in Malawar” and Meadows Tylor (1873) was writing about his observations pertaining to the “Distribution of Cairns, Cromlechs, Kistveans and other Celtic, Druidical or Scythian monuments in the Dekhan”. Fergusson’s work on Megaliths may still be regarded as a landmark because of its wide scope and integrated approach. As with the descriptive accounts, the first excavation of Megalithic monuments also took place more than a century ago. In the last quarter of the 19th century, Dr. Jagor first excavated in the classic site of Adicanallur in the Tirunevelly district, Tamil Nadu. The extensive site of Junapani, near Nagpur in _________ ___ ____ _________ _____.
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