Even after a decade of finding rock-cut caves at Umichipoyil in Nileshawaram, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is yet to initiate a systematic exploration of the megalithic life in the Malabar region. Unlike Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the department has not undertaken a problematic study of any of the rock cut caves found across the state.
There are around 200 megalithic burial chambers in the district, but all these are tampered by people who hardly know the structures’ value. According to K Jayasree Nair of the History Department at the Nehru College in the district, renowned conservator Y D Sharma has mentioned about these rock cut caves in his book Ancient India published way back in 1956, following which systematic excavations made it possible for Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to document it, thus availing plenty of evidence and text to aid further excavation.
“The only literature other than this was published in an academic study by K M George, a research fellow of the MS University, Baroda, who noticed the presence of evidence in Kalikadavu in 1978. But the excavations were done only after Vishwanathan, a farmer, found these caves while using the land for plantation,” Jayasree said.
Many burial chambers have been found in Ozhakrom and Morazha in Kannur, dating back to 1st century BC. “What makes Umichipoyil special is that, the evidence collected during the excavations by ASI in 1991 indicates the continuation of Neolithic Age in the early Iron Age. That points at the Neolithic survival in the Megalithic Age,” she added.
Neolithic Age is known as the New Stone Age in the prehistoric period. This is the time when humans progressed in behavioural and cultural characteristics and moved to agricultural activities, living in villages and making pottery.
During the Iron Age humans started using iron for making tools and weapons. The Iron Age culture in India is marked by Megalithic burial sites, which are found in several places. Megaliths are huge stones used for the burial chambers during the Early Iron Age.
Theories existing in the History say that there was a long gap between Neolithic and Megalithic lives but the findings at the site contradict this. “Thus it needs a systematic approach to study the history of Umichipoyil, which may result in breakthroughs in the history of mankind,” Jayashree opined.
The structures at the site have many similarities to the caves found in Brahmagiri of Karnataka. But the lipped bowl and spout bowl found here are unique to Umichipoyil. The relics found here date back to around 700 BC. The black and red lipped bowls found denote that there may have been a settlement nearby. Jayasree also said that the Department of History has identified around 26 sites in the district.
The prehistory of the region can only be reconstructed with the help of a microlevel study and documentation-cum-mapping. There is a continuity of culture in the area with various forms of burials including rock cut caves, urn burial, centre pillar caves and ‘Kodakallu’, Thoppikallus etc., Jayasree said.
Though a team led by Superintendent of ASI Sathyamurthy excavated the site, no attempts have been made to systematically study the megalithic life in the region after him. The Archaeological Department is not interested in preserving relics, Jayasree said.
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