Ancient site · Megalith
Hire Benakal
Also known as Hirebenakal
The largest megalithic cemetery in South India, on a rocky range of seven hills near Gangavati in Koppal district, Karnataka. About 400 tombs stand here, many of them dolmens: box-like chambers of huge stone slabs with a capstone, some with a round 'porthole' in one side, plus menhirs and stone circles.
They date from the change from the Neolithic to the Iron Age, roughly 800–200 BCE. Painted rock shelters nearby show animals and people.
- Dates
- c. 800–200 BCE
- Still standing
- Yes
- Location
- 15.44° N, 76.46° E
How we know
No writing; dated by the style of the tombs and finds and by comparison with dated megalithic sites.
Nearby sites
- Amaravati Stupa 3rd century BCE–c. 250 CE; known as a centre until the 14th century
- Karla Caves 2nd century BCE–5th century CE
- Kodumanal c. 5th–1st century BCE (dates debated)
- Arikamedu 2nd century BCE–7th/8th century CE
- Ajanta Caves (early caves) early caves c. 2nd century BCE–1st century CE; second phase c. 460–480 CE
- Pattanam c. 3rd century BCE–5th century CE
Related
- Iron Age megalithic cultures of South India archaeological culture
- The world in 1000 BCE: Out of the Collapse chapter