Earlier this month, at the third History Literature Festival held at Christ University, a session titled ‘Stones and Shadows’ traced South India’s journey from prehistoric settlements to Megalithic traditions. The discussion examined the indigenous evolution of cultures in peninsular India, challenging the ‘north-centric gaze’ on its history. While Megaliths – large stones used to construct a structure or monument – are generally associated with the Iron Age, the exact origins of the Megalithic tradition are shrouded in mystery. Senior archaeologist Ravi Korisettar – honorary director at the Robert Bruce Foote Sangankallu Archaeological Museum – hinted during the event that its antecedents could be found in the ‘Southern Neolithic’ period; an era characterised by ash-mounds, grinding and polished tools, and Black and Red Ware pottery.----more----Read full article here: https://theprint.in/opinion/south-india-is-the-missing-link-to-our-megalithic-past-and-it-shows-history-isnt-linear/2562428/