What is a Menhir?

About Menhir:

• A menhir is a large upright standing stone.
• Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones.
• They are widely distributed across Europe, Africa, and Asia, but are most numerous in Western Europe.
• Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top. 
• Often menhirs were placed together, forming circles, semicircles, or vast ellipses.
• Megalithic menhirs were also placed in several parallel rows, called alignments. The most famous of these are the Carnac, France, alignments, which include 2,935 menhirs. 
• They are sometimes engraved with abstract forms (line, spiral) or with objects’ images like axes.
• Identifying the uses of menhirs remains speculation. However, it is likely that many uses involved fertility rites and seasonal cycles.

Q1: What is the Iron Age?

The Iron Age was a period in human history that started between 1200 B.C. and 600 B.C., depending on the region, and followed the Stone Age and Bronze Age. The Iron Age existed in Africa, Europe, and Asia during prehistoric times in the Old World. The Iron Age did not occur in America because this was the New World and had not yet been discovered. People discovered iron at this time. It quickly became the preferred choice of metal, replacing the use of bronze in metalworking. The use of iron brought important changes to people’s lives.

Source: Neglected Iron Age menhir in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool faces destruction

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