An 18-foot Siva linga has been discovered at the Bhairaveswara Swamy Temple atop the Mopuru hillock, in Vemula Mandal of A.P.’s YSR Kadapa district.

Details:

• During the Neolithic age dated back to 3,000 - 2,800 B.C.The linga was believed to have been naturally formed (‘swayambhu’).

• The sighting of the Siva linga on the banks of the Mogameru rivulet, close on the heels of the discovery of stone implements such as axes and other tools used by the Megalithic civilization.

• The discovery of the Siva linga has thrown light on the religious practices of Neolithic civilizations during which people used to worship idols of Gods and Goddesses in standing posture.

Important points related to the Neolithic Age:

• The time span of the Neolithic Age in India was around 7,000 B.C. to 1,000 B.C. The Neolithic Age was preceded by Mesolithic Age (9,000 B.C. to 4,000 B.C.) and succeeded by Chalcolithic Age (c.2100 to 700 B.C.).

• The major crops grown were ragi, horse gram, cotton, rice, wheat, and barley. The people of this age domesticated cattle, sheep, and goats. They resided in pits near a lakeside and had hunting and fishing economy.

• The people used microlithic blades in addition to tools made of polished stones as well as bones. They used axes, adzes, chisels, and celts.

• Pottery first appeared in this age and included grey ware, black burnished ware, and mat-impressed ware. The Neolithic Age is significant for its Megalithic Architecture.

• The people of this period lived in circular or rectangular houses which were made from mud and reed. At some places, they lived in mud-brick houses. They had common rights over property and led a settled life.

• The Neolithic settlements have been found in the North-Western part (Such as Kashmir), Southern part (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh), North Eastern frontier (Meghalaya), and Eastern part (Bihar and Odisha) of India.

• Some of the important Neolithic settlements are Mehrgarh (located in Baluchistan, Pakistan), Burzahom (Kashmir), Gufkral (Kashmir), Chirand (Bihar), and Utnur (Andhra Pradesh).

• The oldest Neolithic settlement in the Indian Subcontinent was Mehrgarh which is located in Baluchistan, a province of Pakistan. Jarf el Ahmar and Tell Abu Hureyra (both in Syria) were the major Neolithic sites in Asia.