Manchester Memoirs, Vol. Ixiv. (1921), No. 5 



V. Ancient Mines and Megaliths in Hyderabad. 



By Major Leonard Munn, R.E. 

 (Communicated by Prof. G. Elliot Smith, M.A., M.D., F.R.S.) 



(Read February 5th, 1918. Received for Publication December 31st, 1920). 



The object of this paper is to record some personal 

 observations relating to the occurrence of dolmens, stone 

 circles, and ancient mines, within the territories of H.H. the 

 Nizam of Hyderabad. 



In my capacity of Inspector of Mines to the State, I have 

 had an exceptional opportunity of touring over and observing 

 this country during the last 13 years. 



The problem of the dolmens and stone circles is receiving 

 the special attention of the Hyderabad Archaeological Society, 

 who will from time to time, in their journal, publish any new 

 discoveries ; so I will only attempt to plot on the attached map 

 the position of the various groups of tombs known up to 

 November 1915, and indicate the sites of the various classes 

 of old workings. 



The State of Hyderabad is about the size of Italy, and the 

 dolmen remains, in comparison with the number of the cairns, 

 are probably relatively scarce. I believe that the Bellary 

 and Dharwar Districts, to the South of the Kristna River, will 

 be found to contain many more dolmens than the whole of 

 Hyderabad. Colonel Meadows Taylor reports 2,127 in 

 Bellary District alone. Both these districts are riddled with 

 old workings for gold, copper and iron. 



The circled cairns, which are scattered in groups, some- 

 times numbering a few, sometimes thousands, all over certain 

 geological areas of the State, are always found covering cists, 

 containing uncremated and exceptionally well preserved 

 human remains — iron implements — black and red pottery, 

 sometimes of high finish but not decorated like that of the 

 Nilghiris, — occasionally a bronze bell or a copper dish, and 

 in rare instances, beautifully pierced beads of carnelian or 

 lapis lazuli. 



February 28th, ig2i. 



