1888.] A. Rea—P re-historic Burial-places in Southern India. 69 
is about 3,500 feet lower than Kodaikanal, and stands on a level outcrop 
of rock midway up tlie east side of tbe valley west from Perumal bill. 
It consists of a group of kistvaens, enclosed by a regularly-built ma¬ 
sonry basement, measuring about 42 feet square. The stones forming 
the square are rough blocks, square-dressed on the exterior and fitted 
together without mortar. Many of them have fallen out of position, 
and the blocks lie heaped up outside ; but the square can still be dis¬ 
tinctly traced. The soil is only a few inches in depth, and the walls 
have been built on the solid rock. Inside the enclosure are a number of 
kistvaens, in various stages of preservation—placed regularly side by 
side. These are formed by four upright slabs resting on the rock, with 
a large slab laid on the top. The kists and the rest of the space in the 
square enclosure have been filled up to the depth of a few feet with earth 
and stones. The remains stand north-east and south-west. We ex¬ 
amined a few of them, but found nothing but small pieces of broken 
pottery; they seem all to have been rifled at some previous time or 
other ; I heard that some others in the vicinity had lately been privately 
opened, and beads found inside. The side stones of the tombs stand 
generally in proper position, but the top slabs are very dilapidated, and 
one—that in the west corner—has evidently been lifted bodily, and 
thrown outside. The slab lies in a position where it could by no possi¬ 
bility have fallen naturally ; this does not, however, seem to have been 
done at all recently. The state of this group is one of general ruin. 
A mile to the north of the previous one, and a few yards down from 
the path, is another fine group of kistvaens in very conqtlete preserva¬ 
tion. It was first discovered by Mr. Turner. This has also the same 
peculiarity of a square enclosing basement. Being built on a very 
decided slope of rock, and the stones of the basement not placed verti¬ 
cally, but at right angles to the rock surface, many of them have fallen 
out of position. On the north side, most of the stones of the wall have 
fallen out of place and rolled partly down the hill. The kistvaens 
themselves lie over at the same angle, but stand complete, with the top 
slabs in their proper positions. Some of these are very large, and one 
of them must weigh at least five tons. The position of this group is 
different from the other, standing north-west by south-east. It has not 
been altogether free from attempts at destruction, for one slab, at the 
west corner, has a piece four feet by two feet broken out of it by crow¬ 
bars, the marks of which are distinctly visible. Some one had evi¬ 
dently tried to throw the stone out of position, but it being too heavy, 
they had commenced to break it up. When we saw it, it was in rather 
a dangerous position, for the side stone had been removed ; I therefore 
placed some stone supports under it. The attempted destruction may 
