Iron Age dolman discovered in Srikakulam

An interesting archaeological structure dating back to 1000 and 500 BC has been discovered at Dannanapeta and Pandavulametta in Amudalavalasa of Srikakulam district.

Archaeology department director P Chenna Reddy said on Thursday that the huge dolmen (a pre-historic megalith) representing the Iron Age sepulchral structure was noticed by Kadiyala Venkatesvara Rao, a retired deputy director of Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh. "The discovery is significant as it is the biggest dolmen measuring 360 X 146 with a thickness of two feet, so far not reported from Andhra Pradesh. The single largest capstone weighs more than 50 tons," he said.

Another key find was an incision in the form of an anthropomorph on the floor of the dolmen and occurrence of post holes all around it that clearly suggest that it was a place of ancient ritual during the Iron Age. Locals believe that Bhima, the strongest of the Pandava brothers, lifted it with one hand and hence the area was called Pandavulametta.

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