Dolmens at Aihole

Location : Google Maps (16.01385N, 75.88787E)

A dolmen, or portal tomb, is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the Late Neolithic period (4000–3000 BCE) and were sometimes covered with earth or smaller stones to form a tumulus (burial mound). Wiki

A dolmen is a type of very ancient stone structure—basically a burial chamber—built during the Neolithic period and early Bronze Age.

Key features: Large flat capstone on top, supported by two or more upright stones, forming a small chamber.

Originally these weren’t open; they were usually covered by a mound of earth or smaller stones, which has eroded over thousands of years, leaving only the standing stones. They are generally interpreted as tombs or ritual structures, though the exact customs vary by region.

Where they’re found : They appear across Europe, parts of the Middle East, Korea, and India (for example, in Karnataka and Kerala). (ChatGPT)

The megalithic site at Aihole is on a flat bare sandstone hillock in between the well-known Jaina Meguti temple with Ravikirti’s inscription (642 CE) and the rock-cut Jaina cave temple. There are around 40 port-holed dolmens. There are also three round barrows. The megaliths in this site are erected close to one another and are now in various stages of destruction. There are chiefly four types: (a) Passage chambers, (b) Chambers with or without port-hole, (C) stone circles and (d) Round barrows. Dolmens- ASI Dharwad

The megalithic site at Aihole is on a plateau. Three routes to the top (pic below) :

Path to the left of Mena Basti
Path from the south-west bastion of Meguti jain Mandir (may be blocked with thorny branches)
The east face of the plateau is a gentle slope, walk along the stone wall that separates the plateau from the fields, then walk up the slope. Pic attached.