Tekkalakote: An Ancient Neolithic Site

Tekkalakote is located in the Bellary district (now Vijayanagara district) of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is situated in a highly rocky terrain characterized by massive granite boulders.

Tekkalakote is primarily recognized as a major Neolithic (New Stone Age) to Chalcolithic (Copper Age) settlement. It dates back to roughly 2000 BCE to 1500 BCE.

Unlike people in North India who lived in mud-brick houses on flat plains, the ancient people of Tekkalakote ingeniously used the natural spaces between giant granite boulders to build circular huts with thatched roofs.

Excavations conducted by eminent archaeologists (like M.S. Nagaraja Rao and H.D. Sankalia) in the 1960s revealed amazing artifacts:

1. Gold Ornaments: The most spectacular find at Tekkalakote was ancient gold ear ornaments. This proves that gold mining (likely from nearby Hatti or Kolar) and metallurgy were known to South Indians over 3500 years ago.
2. Burials: Archaeologists found fractional and complete human burials directly under the floors of their houses, indicating strong religious or ancestral beliefs.
3. Tools: Large quantities of polished stone axes, microliths (tiny stone blades), and handmade grey pottery were discovered.