India’s Largest Circular Stone Labyrinth

Why in News?

In India, archaeologists have made a discovery that will help historians better understand the country’s ancient trade networks, confirming the presence of a large circular stone labyrinth.

• The recent findings described the uncovering of a massive structure measuring roughly 50 feet by 50 feet.
• Period - This structure dating back nearly 2,000 years in the Boramani grasslands of Solapur district in Maharashtra.
• The structure is composed of 15 concentric stone circuits, the highest number ever documented in an Indian circular labyrinth.
• Previous discoveries have topped out at 11 circuits.
• Related Dynasty - Archaeologists have linked the structure to the Satavahana dynasty, which ruled large parts of the Deccan Plateau between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE.
• During this period, Maharashtra played a central role in long-distance trade between India and the Roman world,serving as a conduit between inland settlements and ports.
• Design - The researchers believe the labyrinth’s design offers compelling evidence of Indo-Roman contact.
• The circular pattern closely resembles labyrinth motifs found on ancient coins from Crete.
• Such coins were widely used as Roman currency and have been discovered in Indian port cities and trading centers dating to the same era.
• Purpose - Experts have proposed that these labyrinths may have served as navigational markers or symbolic signposts for Roman merchants and local traders moving goods such as spices, textiles, and precious stones.
• Similar, though smaller, stone labyrinths have been identified in neighboring districts, including Sangli, Satara, and Kolhapur.
• Together, these finds suggest the existence of a broader network of structures spanning western Maharashtra, possibly marking inland trade routes that once connected coastal ports to the Deccan interior.
• Significance - Their placement in open grasslands rather than within settlements, religious complexes, or fortifications has fueled speculation that they were meant to be seen from a distance, guiding travelers across unfamiliar terrain.

Reference

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