Megalithic Burials and Iron Age Settlement on a Quaternary Paleochannel Margin: Environmental Adaptation in the Northern Aravalli–Yamuna Corridor (India)

Shalaish Baisla

School of Heritage Research and Management, Dr B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi, India; sbaisla.24@stu.aud.ac.in

Recent investigations (2019-21) in the northern Aravalli, Yamuna corridor (Kot village, Faridabad district, Haryana), have found an Iron Age settlement complex associated with a dwarf menhir and cist-type burial features. The discovery of megalithic burials, especially dwarf menhirs, near Delhi adds valuable information to the archaeological record of the National Capital Region, where such burial sites are uncommon. The settlement is located at the ridge-paleochannel interface created by late Quaternary alluvial and aeolian deposits atop Delhi Supergroup quartzites. Structures built from minimally dressed quartzite include multi-room units, furnaces, and open communal areas. The presence of iron slag, furnace remnants, and black-and-red/buff ware ceramics shows that metallurgy was an ongoing activity. Outside the residential area, several burial mounds feature small upright stones (dwarf menhirs) and rectangular, stone-lined chambers, indicating organised burial planning. Their location on elevated ground overlooking paleochannel corridors suggests a deliberate selection of stable, prominent sites. The relationship between living spaces, metalworking, and burial zones shows an integrated settlement rather than separate ritual activity. The geoarchaeological context is key to understanding this complex. The movement of paleochannels, wind-deposited sediments, and ridge stabilisation during the late Quaternary created usable landforms that provided access to water, fuel, raw materials for tools, and a defensible landscape. The placement of both the settlement and the megalithic burials reflect responses to the environmental advantages. By situating dwarf menhir burials within a larger settlement and environmental context, this study offers new insights into discussions of megalithic traditions in northern India. It emphasises the significance of the Aravalli-Yamuna corridor as a long-lasting socio-ecological landscape shaped by Quaternary processes.