Megalithic period
When?
Megalithic period roughly 500BC to 500AD
The period of early historic BC 300 to 500 AD
Iron age before BC 300.
Derivation
Mega-Big Lith-Stone
The burial monuments made of big stones,(All burials of this age are not megalithic. The lithic connection is important)
What items?
Monuments like Dolmens, cist burials, urn burials, umbrella stones, Thoppikal or capstones, hood stones, multiple hood stones, rock cut caves and men heirs.
Except veerakkal (Heroic Stone) all have burial associations heroic stage.
Laterite rock cut caves in Kerala
Ø distributed in the laterite zones of Trichur, Palakkad, Malappuram Kozhikode and Kannur districts
Ø Sunk in laterite bed rocks.
Ø Other terms
Laterite rock-cut caves, shaft graves,
Important Laterite RockCutcaves in Kerala
Ø Eyyal, Porkkulam, Kattakampal, Kakkad, Kandanasseri, Anakkara and Sukapuram.
Ø Category: two types 1)single chambered, 2)multi chambered.