Hyderabad, April 4 -- A team from Telangana government's department of heritage has recorded a massive cluster of megalithic human burial sites in Mulugu district, believed to be one of the largest concentrations of dolmen burials in India. The structures were recorded in and around Motlagudem village an official release said. Based on information by residents of the village, and the directions of special chief secretary Jayesh Ranjan, a technical team conducted a field visit to the village, located 230 kilometres from Hyderabad. The sites are locally referred to as "Rakasi Bandalu" (giant stones) and "Rakasi Guhalu" (giant caves). The sites (in the Godavari river basin) not only confirm the presence of early humans in the region but also serve as valuable historical evidence reflecting their lifestyle, customs, occupations, and social structures, added the official release. In the Eturnagaram Scheduled Area in the district, including Damaravai, Rangapuram, and in Mangapet Mandal areas such as Mallur Gutta, Motlagudem, Chettupalli, and Gundala, hundreds of such burial sites have been identified, it said. According to the technical team, the burial structures found on Kappalayyi Gutta demonstrate the remarkable skill and craftsmanship of ancient humans. The dolmen burials, constructed using roughly hewn sandstone slabs, extend across areas ranging from 4 to 25 metres. Each structure consists of four large vertical stone slabs with a massive capstone placed on top. Inside each burial, a small stone trough resembling a sarcophagus is present. Additionally, a vacant space is left in one corner, and the entire structure is enclosed within a circular stone boundary wall of approximately 10 feet in radius, it said. The distance between individual burial structures ranges from 5 to 100 feet. The layout suggests a well-planned settlement, resembling an organised ancient township. The capstones used for these burials weigh approximately 10 to 20 tons each. "Spread across nearly 100 acres in the Kappalayi Gutta region, this may be one of the largest clusters of dolmen burials in India, according to the technical team," the release said. Over time, some of these burial structures have deteriorated, while others have been disturbed due to the use of stone slabs by locals for house construction. Stone troughs found within the burials have been removed for use as water containers for livestock. These structures, much like the pyramids of Egypt, are believed to reflect a strong belief in life after death and rebirth. Similar burial traditions are widely found across South India, including in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Telangana, it added....