Materials to be on display during Monolith Fest
SHILLONG: The Monolith Festival, a cultural extravaganza, will also be of great importance as far as the life and history of the tribes of Khasi Hills region is concerned. In a first, the Festival will have on display tools and materials dating back to the Neolithic age found after excavations were carried out on a site in Khasi Hills.
The objects, dating back to 1220 BC, found after preliminary excavation of Sohpetbneng hill, will be put on display in the museum section of the Khasi Heritage Village during the three-day Monolith Festival to be held from March 31st to April 2.
The excavation was carried out by a team of scholars including Marco Mitri, archaeologist, Prof Desmond Kharmawphlang of the NEHU and Prof B Myrboh, NEHU among others.
The age of the tools/materials recovered were ascertained after AMS dating of the objects in a lab in Miami Florida. The findings have also been published in a reputed foreign journal.
“The excavations will help get a picture of the relationship between the Neolithic sites of the region and the Neolithic cultures of the surrounding areas, and to trace migration patterns, both internally and into and out of the region,” Mitri said during an interaction with a section of the media at the Khasi Heritage Village at Mawphlang recently.
“The excavated materials are being put on display to make people aware of their ancient heritage,” Mitri added while inviting scholars to come and have a look at the artefacts recovered.
The excavations were carried out on the northern slope of the Sohpetbneng hill in 2013-14.
“The exhibition is also a serious attempt to show the antiquity of the Khasi community and validated economic activities that people in close community were involved in,” Mitri said.
This was also the first time that an excavation of a prehistoric site was carried out in Meghalaya.
Stone tools, household materials, spindle wood, stone knives and iron implements dating back to 12th century BC were recovered from the excavation.
“It reveals the importance of Sohpetbneng hill in our culture (also known as Navel of the earth) and also signifies the beginning of farming in the region,” Mitri added.
It is an example of new stone habitation in Khasi Jaintia Hills and the area is also a spot where artisan related activities developed.
The organizers of the Monolith Festival, meanwhile, invited all to come and have a look at these materials of extreme historical importance which promise to throw a light on the history of the Khasis and other tribes of the region.