Megalithic Graffiti Symbols

Megalithic markings, Megalithic graffiti marks, Megalithic symbols or Non-Brahmi symbols is a terminology used to describe markings found on mostly potsherds found in Central India, South India and Sri Lanka during the Megalithic Iron Age period. They are usually found in burial sites but are also found habitation sites as well. They are tentatively dated from 1000 BCE to 300 CE marking the transition of proto historic period into historic period of South Asia. Number of scholars has tried to decipher the symbols since 1878 and currently there is no consensus as to whether they constitute un- deciphered writing or graffiti or symbols without any sylabaric meaning. From an archaeological Stratigraphy, potsherd with and without symbols are usually found at the lowest level, followed by potsherds with mixed symbols and Brahmi or Tamil Brahmi and eventually at the highest level potsherds are found only with Brahmi or Tamil Brahmi etchings. From 300 C, they disappear from grave sites.^[1] Scholars such as Iravatham Mahadevan have tried to link the symbols directly to Indus Valley script or as derived due to lingering influence,^[2] whereas others such as K. Rajan see the symbols as the genesis of the later Brahmi script.^[3] Yet many others see no particular alphabetic value in them only as graffiti symbols used for socio-religious purposes.^[4]

References

v t e Prehistoric technology Prehistoric technology History of technology Architectural Ceremonial structures Earliest religious structure Kiva Pyramid Temple Dwellings Neolithic architecture British megalith architecture Nordic megalith architecture Burdei Cave Cliff dwelling Dugout Great house Hut Jacal Lean-to Longhouse Neolithic long house Pit-house Pueblitos Pueblo Rock shelter Roundhouse Stilt house Tent Water management Check dam Cistern Reservoir Water well Other Archaeological features Burnt mound Causewayed enclosure Henge Mead hall Megalithic architectural elements Midden Timber trackway Tools Farming Neolithic Revolution Ard / plough Celt Digging stick Domestication Goad Irrigation Sickle Terracing Food processing Fire Basket Granaries Grinding slab Ground stone Hearth Manos Metate Mortar and pestle Pottery Quern-stone Storage pit Hunting Arrow Atlatl Bow and arrow Dart Projectile point Snare trap Spear Toolmaking Earliest toolmaking Biface Cupstone Hafting Hand axe Lithic core Lithic reduction Prepared-core technique Striking platform Tool stone Other tools Adze Awl Axe Blade Bone tool Bow drill Burin Chopper Cleaver Denticulate tool Fire plough Fire-saw Hammerstone Hand axe Knife Quern-stone Rope Scraper Stone tool Weapons Wheel Ancient maritime history Arts and culture Material goods Basket weaving Beadwork Chalcolithic Clothing Clothing and textiles Hides Pottery Weaving Prehistoric art Earliest art Cairn Cave painting Cup and ring mark Geoglyph Guardian stone Ideograms List of prehistoric artworks Megalithic art Petroform Petroglyph Petrosomatoglyph Pictogram Rock art Stone circle Burial Burial mounds Chamber tomb Cist Dolmen Great dolmen Jar burial Long barrow Passage grave Funeral pyre Megalithic tomb Mummy Rectangular dolmen Ring cairn Simple dolmen Stone box grave Tor cairn Tumulus Unchambered long barrow Unchambered long cairn Other cultural Behavioral modernity Evolutionary origin of religions Music archaeology Prehistoric music