Discuss the Megalithic period in India.

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  • A nomadic people around 700 B.C.E. erected stone circles by using huge slabs of rock. 
  • The space within these circles was used to bury dead people. 
  • These circles are known as Megaliths. The period of these Megaliths is known as the ‘Megalithic Age’.
  • They were used for various purposes, but mainly they contain the remains of the dead. 
  • They were the memorials of the dead. Such megalithic circles have been found in many parts of the world.
  • A few tribes in India practice it even today. For instance; the Bodos in Odisha, Todas, and Kurumbas in South India. 
  • Nagas and Khasis in Northeast India. Most of these circles in India are dated to 1500-500 B.C.E. 
  • Perhaps these people were from South India. The Megalithic circles in Maharashtra belong to the Iron Age. They are dated to 1000-400 B.C.E. 
  • In Maharashtra, Megalithic burials have been found in the Vidarbha region especially in the districts of Nagpur, Chandrapur, and Bhandara.
  • Megalithic people used horses for transport and travel. They were instrumental in introducing the ‘Iron Age’ in ancient India.

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