Kannur Dig: Rare Wheel-Like Stone Found at Megalithic Burial Site

A rare wheel-like stone with a central post hole has been discovered during an archaeological investigation at Kuzhummal-Peralam in Karivellur, Kannur, potentially adding to the significance of a cluster of Megalithic burial monuments in the area. The discovery was made during an investigation by the Kerala State Department of Archaeology at a residential property in Peralam. Archaeologists are examining the object to determine its age, function and relationship with the surrounding burial remains.

The stone was found on the residential plot of Perikamana Narayanan Namboothiri, where seven Megalithic umbrella stones, locally known as kudakkals, have already been documented. A hat stone, another monument type associated with the Megalithic period, was also identified during the archaeological survey. The concentration of such monuments indicates that the locality contains remains associated with ancient burial practices and could provide further information about the region’s prehistoric past.

The newly discovered stone is notable for its wheel-like shape and a hole at its centre. However, archaeologists have cautioned against immediately assigning a specific function or cultural meaning to the object based solely on its appearance. Similar-looking stone objects can have different uses depending on their archaeological context, construction features and association with other remains. Establishing its significance will therefore require a detailed examination of the artefact and the site where it was found.

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According to an archaeologist, further investigation, detailed documentation and contextual analysis will be necessary to determine the stone’s function and significance. Researchers will also need to establish whether the object was directly associated with the Megalithic burial assemblage already documented at the site. Its position, orientation, physical characteristics and relationship with nearby monuments could be important in understanding how it was originally used.

The discovery has drawn attention because the Kuzhummal-Peralam area already contains multiple examples of Megalithic funerary architecture. Kudakkals, or umbrella stones, are distinctive burial monuments found in parts of southern India and are associated with Megalithic burial traditions. The presence of several such structures together, along with the newly discovered stone and a hat stone, makes continued archaeological documentation of the locality important for understanding the distribution and diversity of Megalithic remains in northern Kerala.

The archaeological team is expected to examine the discovery in greater detail before reaching conclusions about its origin or purpose. Specialists will have to compare its form and construction with other known archaeological objects and assess the wider site context. Until such analysis is completed, the stone’s precise function remains uncertain, but its discovery adds another potentially important element to the Megalithic archaeological record of Kannur.

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