Megalithic Clusters vis-à-vis Market Sites of Khasi-Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya

Marco Babit Mitri

North-Eastern Hill University Shillong, India; marcommus@gmail.com

In the Khasi and Jaintia hills of the North Eastern state of Meghalaya in India, Megalithic monuments littered the hilly landscape and among the Hynniewtrep who are the inhabitants of these hills, the importance of their megalithic monuments is evident in their language itself, since the word “Kyn-maw” or “memory” derives its root from the word “Maw” or “stone.” The current paper will try to delve mainly on functions of the Megalithic cluster sites that are found at different parts of these hills and show how these monuments stood as indicators to the socio-economic and political transition of the early societies. The cultural importance of these cluster sites continues even in the modern times, some of these sites have been transformed into sanctified space while others stood as mute reminder of the ancient cartography of settlements. These sites provide clear glimpses on the deep-rooted connection between the Hynniewtrep people and their Megalithic tradition which can be gauge from the people's perspective about these monuments seen through change and continuity.