History • Ancient IndiaHard
Which specific archaeological marker found in the laterite rock-cut chambers of Wayanad and Thrissur districts provides direct evidence of secondary burial practices in ancient Kerala?
A. Placement of intact skeletons inside multi-legged terracotta sarcophagi
B. Deposit of cleaned and disarticulated human bones inside specialized red ware urns✓ Correct Answer
C. Cremation ashes preserved within polished bronze caskets bearing Brahmi letters
D. Mummification remnants sealed inside granite dolmens covered with earth mounds
💡 Solution & Explanation
Secondary burial practices in ancient Kerala involved allowing the body to decompose or undergo primary exposure before gathering the skeletal remains for final internment inside large terracotta urns or rock-cut niches. Multi-legged sarcophagi were more characteristic of contemporary Megalithic sites in the neighboring Tamil plains rather than Malabar rock-cut chambers. Bronze caskets and mummification were alien to indigenous Iron Age mortuary traditions of southern India. These archaeological deposits illustrate complex ritual beliefs regarding death and ancestor veneration.
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