The sites lie near Motlagudem village in Tadvai mandal, about 120 km from Warangal. They feature large stone structures locally known as "Rakasi Bandalu" (giant stones) and "Rakasi Guhalu" (giant caves). These formations offer valuable insights into early human social practices.

Dolmen structures point to organised settlement

The team conducted the survey under the guidance of Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan. Director Acharya Arjun Rao, Deputy Director Dr P Nagaraju, and Officer on Special Duty A Raju actively participated in the study.

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Notably, the team found the burials prominently on Kappalayi Gutta. These are dolmen structures built using roughly hewn sandstone slabs. The monuments spread across areas ranging from 4 metres to 25 metres.

Each structure typically features four vertical slabs supporting a massive capstone weighing between 10 and 20 tonnes. Inside, archaeologists discovered stone troughs resembling sarcophagi. In addition, circular stone boundary walls with a radius of about 10 feet enclose these structures.

Moreover, the spacing between individual burials-ranging from 5 feet to 100 feet-indicates a well-planned settlement layout. The site spans nearly 100 acres and could rank among the largest dolmen burial clusters in India, officials said.

Sites face damage due to encroachment

However, many of these structures now face serious threats due to neglect and human activity.

Locals have removed stone slabs from some sites for house construction. In several cases, they have also repurposed stone troughs as livestock water containers. Meanwhile, dense vegetation has overtaken parts of the area, and wild animals occasionally inhabit these zones.

As a result, spaces that once served as sacred memorial sites now continue to deteriorate without proper conservation measures.

Findings reflect widespread prehistoric beliefs

The discovery extends across multiple locations in the Eturnagaram agency and Mangapet mandal, including Damaravai, Jaggaram, Gangaram, Mallur Gutta, and Komuraram.

Importantly, these burial practices reflect prehistoric beliefs in life after death and rebirth. Similar megalithic traditions appear across South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.