PIKLIHAL

PIKLIHAL

Piklihal (piklihALu) (ಪಿಕ್ಲಿಹಾಳು) is an important archaeological site in the context of the pre-historic era in Karnataka. It is a small village in Lingasugur talluk of Raichur district at a distance of about five kilomteres from a town called Mudgal. It is a neolithic period site, excavated for the first time by F.R. and Bridget Allchin in 1952. Their findings were published in 1960. Their work was preceded by that of earlier scholars such as Robert Brucefoot, Meadows Taylor, Munn and Hoskote Krishnsastry in neighboring regions. The site was occupied by human beings between the late third and early second millennium BC, and has provided evidence of domesticated cattle, as well as sheep, goats, turtles, and shellfish. It was inhabited from the neolithic period in the stone-copper phase of civilisation up to the early historic age.

Allchin and the scholars who have followed him have classified the findings in this site in to two phases namely lower neolithic and upper neolithic. The people who lived here during the lower neolithic period g hand made brown used terracotta vessels. Some of them were finely polished. Some of these vessels were decorated with drawings and paintings, even before they were baked. In addition to utensils meant for every day use, other tools such as axes made of black stone, earthen dolls of oxen and flint stone equipments were also found in the excavations held at this layer. These findings belonged to the period before 2700 B.C. (Lower neolithic age). Gradually, this age gave room to the upper neolithic era. During this period brownish utensils made way for ash coloured vessels of various hues. Even they had coloured drawings inscribed on them. Many scholars have opined that this community must have come in contact with some other community from the north during this period. There are some similarities between the material found here and those found during the excavations in the north (Lothal in Pakistan, Jorve in Maharashtra and UtnUr in Mehboobnagar district of Andhrapradesh etc.). It is presumed that simple kilns were used in Piklihal to bake the vessels. Copper did have limited use during this period.

Relics of the early Iron Age are also found in Piklihal at a level higher than the copper stone age. This is demarcated by the use of black and red pottery made on wheels and some iron equipments.

There is distinct difference between the neolithic age and the Iron Age even with respect to their burial practices. Three burials of the neolithic age were found right in the middle of their dwellings. They were elliptical in shape. Some pottery, a stone axe, and five flint stone weapons were found near the skeletal remains. In the Iron Age, the burial grounds were located away from the dwellings. They were huge and circular in shape. Big rocks are erected probably to demarcate the burial place. It looks as though human inhabitation was discontinued in this place after the beginning of the historical age.

Piklihal is also well known for the animal remains found there by researchers such as Allchin, Srinivasan and K.R. Alur. They vouch for the fact that the people who lived here were cattle-keepers and hunters. The rocks of Hirebenakal and Piklihal contain figures of hunters with weapons, horse-riders, bulls, etc. K.R. Alur a veterinary anatomist has made some seminal research regarding cattle rearing in Piklihal and many other places based on skeletal data. Faunal remains of cattle, sheep or goat, canines, antelope and rodents were identified by K.R.Alur in 1990 in Hallur. All this evidence gathered over a period of time throws light on the life style of people who inhabited the Doab region of Raichur during various facets of the pre historic era.