| Stone circles of Junapani | |
|---|---|
| Native name Marathi: जुनापाणी येथील शिळावर्तुळे | |
 Stone circle at Junapani | |
| Location | Dist. Nagpur, Maharashtra. |
| Coordinates | 21°11′49″N 78°59′56″E / 21.19694°N 78.99889°E |
| Governing body | Archaeological Survey of India |
  Location of Stone circles of Junapani in Maharashtra | |
The stone circles of Junapani are prehistoric megalithic circles in Junapani, near Nagpur in the Indian state of Maharashtra. There are about 300 such stone circles noted around Junapani.[1] They were first excavated by J. H. Rivett-Carnac in 1879, yielding a variety of iron objects including daggers, flat axes with cross-ring fasteners, hoes, rings, bracelets, horse bits, chisels with long blades, and pointed tongs, possibly covered with a wooden handle.[1] There is also evidence of black and red pottery, such as bowls featuring linear paintings in black.[2] The burial sites were characterized by cairns. About 150 stone circles have been studied and documented. A notable feature is the cup-marked stones in the circles which seem to suggest an astronomical significance. This aspect has been discerned from the fact that the cup-marked stones are fixed at specific locations denoting specific directions.[3]
These structures are designated by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as monuments of national importance.[4] The site was excavated by ASI in 1962 which unearthed three stone circles.[1] The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) has funded additional studies.
- ^ a b c Ghosh 1990, pp. 120–121
- ^ Deo 1985, p. 25
- ^ "Archaeo Astronomy In Indian Context: A Programme of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Funded by Jamsetji Tata Trust Highlights of Results from December 2006 to December 2010" (PDF). Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- ^ "Aurangabad Circle, Maharashtra". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 24 September 2012.