Megalithic dolmen site
Recently, unique terracotta figurines have been found during archaeological exploration from the ‘Megalithic Dolmen Site’ in Moodbidri, Dakshina Kannada.
Moodabidri is a town and taluk in Dakshina Kannada district. It is located 34 km north east of Mangalore, the district headquarters in Karnataka.
The place was named Moodbidri due to bamboo being widely grown in ancient times. A total of eight idols were found out of which two cows, one mother goddess, two peacocks, one horse, one hand of mother goddess and an unknown object. These statues appear to be from 800-700 BC.
Megalithic Culture:
- The megalithic site at Moodbidri (Mudu Konaje) was discovered by historian and researcher Pundikai Ganapayya Bhat in the 1980s.
- It was the largest megalithic dolmen site consisting of nine dolmens on the slope of a stone hill. But only two dolmens are safe and the rest of the tombs are ruined.
- Terracottas found in megalithic cemeteries provide a solid foundation for the study of ghost cult or divine worship in coastal Karnataka. The megalithic culture in India is known for its use of iron. Cow breeds found in dolmen help determine the chronology of the dolmen.
- The cow goddess had parallels in the Malampuzha megalithic terracotta sculptures of Kerala and Egypt. One of the two cows is a solid handmade human body with a bull’s head, and measures approximately 9 cm in height and 5 cm in width.
- The second cow bovine is another solid handmade figurine measuring approximately 7.5 cm in height and 4 cm in width. One of the two peacocks is a solid peacock measuring approximately 11 cm in height and 7 cm in width. Another peacock’s long head is made separately, which can be inserted into the shallow body.
Source – The Hindu
