Telangana To Excavate Mudumal Megalithic Site in Sept

Hyderabad: Telangana will begin archaeological excavations at the Mudumal megalithic site in Narayanpet district in September as it works to secure the Unesco World Heritage status of the 3,000-year-old site.

Currently, the megalithic site is on the tentative list of Unesco. The excavations will help the government make a strong push for the Unesco tag and the heritage department has obtained necessary permissions from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for the excavations.

Heritage department officials said the excavations are expected to shed light on the chronology, cultural environment and lifestyle of prehistoric communities that built megalithic monuments. The findings will further strengthen the site’s conservation efforts and support its nomination for a permanent label on Unesco’s world heritage list.

In addition, the heritage department is carrying out development activities including the construction of visitor accommodation, a field office, an eight-kilometre approach road, relocation of overhead power lines, basic amenities, establishment of a dedicated documentation team and scientific stratigraphic survey of the site.

Minister Vakiti Srihari on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the development of the megalithic Park. Speaking at the event, Deccan Heritage Academy Foundation chairman Veda Kumar termed the inclusion of Mudumal megalithic site in Unesco’s tentative list of world heritage as a landmark achievement for Telangana. He said the megalithic obelisks represent an example of ancient astronomical knowledge.