3,000-Year-Old Hat Stone Burial Discovered in Kerala: Archaeologist Narayanamoorthy Urges Heritage Protection

A 3,000 to 4,000-year-old megalithic burial monument has been identified on the banks of the Mangalam River along the Palakkad–Thrissur district border in Kerala, according to archaeologist Narayanamoorthy.

Speaking about the discovery, Narayanamoorthy said that the structure belongs to the rare Hat Stone (Toppikkal) category of megalithic burials, a distinctive funerary tradition found only in present-day Kerala.

A Rare Megalithic Discovery
The archaeological survey was conducted along the northern bank of the Mangalam River in Kerala. During the exploration, researchers documented a burial monument estimated to be between 3,000 and 4,000 years old, dating to the Megalithic–Iron Age period.

The monument belongs to the Toppikkal type of burial, considered one of the most distinctive burial traditions of ancient Chera country.

What is a Toppikkal?
According to Narayanamoorthy, ancient communities in Chera Nadu (modern-day Kerala) practiced several unique burial customs.

One such custom involved burying the deceased either directly in the ground or inside large burial urns. To mark and protect the burial site from scavenging animals such as dogs and foxes, a massive hemispherical carved stone was placed over the grave.

This dome-shaped stone resembles a traditional hat, which led British archaeologists to name it "Hat Stone" (Toppikkal).

The Stone Used
The stone is locally known as Vettukal in Malayalam and Sembarankal in Tamil.

Narayanamoorthy explained that the Tamil word Sembarankal literally refers to a reddish-coloured rock. These stones occur extensively along the foothills of the Western Ghats in Kerala.
Because of their hardness and durability, they have traditionally been used in construction as well.

Size and Location
The newly documented Hat Stone is situated on the northern bank of the Mangalam River, near the Palakkad–Thrissur district boundary.

According to the archaeologist:

Diameter (upper portion): approximately 118 cm
Estimated weight: around one tonne
Elevation: 45 metres above sea level
Coordinates:
10.6619° North
76.4563° East

He believes many more Hat Stones once existed in the area, but only this monument appears to have survived.

A Unique Heritage of Kerala
Narayanamoorthy pointed out that the Toppikkal burial tradition is unique to present-day Kerala and is not found elsewhere in the world in the same form.

He further noted that similar Hat Stones can still be seen in Cheramanangad (Cheraman Kadu) in Thrissur district, where an important cluster of megalithic monuments survives.

Need for UNESCO Recognition
Narayanamoorthy expressed concern that the Cheramanangad Megalithic Monuments, though protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), have not yet received UNESCO World Heritage recognition.

He urged the Government of Kerala to take immediate steps to:
Protect the newly identified Hat Stone at Mangalam River.
Preserve the surrounding archaeological landscape.
Pursue World Heritage recognition for the Cheramanangad Megalithic Monuments.

"These are invaluable cultural monuments representing our ancient civilisation and deserve the highest level of protection," he said.

The discovery adds another important chapter to the archaeological understanding of South India's Megalithic culture and highlights the urgent need to preserve Kerala's unique prehistoric heritage.