Megalithic Burial Site - Hirebenkal

The Megalithic Burial Site – Hirebenkalone of India’s most significant prehistoric sites. Witness hundreds of awe-inspiring megalithic tombs, known as ‘Morera Houses’ by locals, and explore rock paintings that offer a fascinating window into the lives of our Iron Age ancestors.

Hirebenkal, one of Karnataka’s most significant prehistoric sites, is located about 10 km from Gangavati. The village of Hirebenkal lies to the south, where the Morera Hill stands. This hill is home to hundreds of awe-inspiring and curious stone structures. Locals refer to them as “Morera Houses,” but archaeologists have identified them as megalithic burials and memorials linked to the Iron Age (circa 1200 BCE to 200 BCE). These structures were used for the funerary practices of early humans during that era. A distinctive feature of the Iron Age megalithic culture was their funeral customs. Massive, naturally occurring boulders were cut into slabs to construct box-like burials in the ground and chamber-like memorials on the rocks. The diversity of these memorials at Hirebenkal is remarkable. Archaeologists have categorized them into various types: dolmens with or without stone circles, cist burials made of small stone slabs, rectangular chamber burials, stone-slab chamber burials and memorials with stone figures. The people of that era are believed to have had faith in rebirth. Hence, they constructed these elaborate burial sites to ensure the convenience of the souls of the departed. The burial practices included two methods: directly burying the body and alternatively, placing the collected skeletal remains in pots with stone lids. The technique of constructing these megalithic burials and stone structures is astounding.

They used six large stone slabs to build these structures: one for each side and a massive capstone to cover the top. These slabs were skilfully positioned to interlock, ensuring they would not collapse into the chamber. The capstone extended beyond the walls, forming a protective roof. A circular or semi-circular opening was carved on one side of the chamber wall. In front of some cist burials, two small vertical stone slabs supported a horizontal slab, forming a doorway-like structure. To prevent the surrounding stones from scattering, they were arranged in square or circular patterns around the burial chamber. Initially, the body was buried at a designated spot. After the burial chamber was ready, the bones were collected, placed in a pot and kept inside the chamber. Along with the body, pots containing food and drink, iron knives, bangles, beads and ornaments were placed. In front of one of the burial at Hirebenkal, a massive human-shaped stone figure stands, though it is currently leaning towards the ground. Around the burial site of Hirebenkal, there are over 30 caves and stone shelters featuring contemporary rock paintings. These depict horsemen, oxen, deer, hunting scenes, group dances, pythons, wild boars, birdsand fish. Not far from the burial site, in a cave called Rakkasagavi, there are large paintings of a python, childbirth scenes, and male figures. These megalithic structures and rock paintings at Hirebenkal offer a fascinating glimpse into the beliefs, customs and artistic expressions of our ancestors from the Iron Age.