An Important Part of Archaeology
Excavations constitute a significant part of the activities of the Department of Heritage Telangana. This has been one of the primary means and to this day, it continues to be a highly effective method for unearthing the treasures and wonders of history that lay buried under different layers of the ground surface and sub surface.
The process of excavation is a complex task that involves surveying and finalizing the site for excavations, which also involves extensive research and groundwork done by experts. This process has to be carried out with utmost care and precision so as to not damage the artefacts, mounds and ancient constructions while at the same time digging deeper to bring them to light.
Department of Heritage Telangana has conducted excavations at Maski, Piklihal, Lingasoor, Raigir, Hasmathpet, Janamet, Dongatogu and Phanigiri, in erstwhile Nizam’s dominions. After formation of the State of Andhra Pradesh, the Department has conducted excavations at Hasmathpet, Keesaragutta, University of Hyderabad (Campus) in Hyderabad; Yeleswaram, Phanigiri, Gajulabanda, Vardhamanukota in Nalgonda; Nelakondapalli and Khammam town in Khammam; Lebarthi, Geesukonda, Polakonda in Warangal; Pochampadu, Bodhan in Nizamabad; Chinnamarur, Peddamarur, Gollattagudi, Andugula in Mahabubnagar District and Peddabunkur, Dhulikatta, Khadambapur in Karimnagar District. These excavations brought to light the Proto-historic and Early historic cultural material and age-old Buddhist stupas.
Salvage Archaeology
Kotilingala in Karimnagar District appears to be one among the thirty walled towns mentioned by the Megasthanise in his Indica, which had later become submerged in the Sripada Sagar project. Excavations conducted here during the years from 1979-1983 brought to light the pre-Satavahana and Satavahana cultural material.
List of Excavations conducted by the Department of Heritage Telangana from 1914 till date in Telangana State
| Place / District | Name of the Site | Excavation/ Publication in the Annual Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Maula Ali (Hyderabad) | Megalithic Burial | 1915-16 |
| Raigir Hyderabad State | Megalithic Burial | 1915-16 |
| Janampet, Poloncha Taluq Hyderabad State | Megalithic Burial | 1917-18 1918-19 1940-41 |
| Warangal, Hyderabad State | Warangal Fort | 1934-35 |
| Hasmatpet, Hyderabad | Megalithic Burial | 1934-35 2000-01 |
| Paithan (Aurangabad) Hyderabad State | Early Historic Site | 1935-36 |
| Maski (Raichur) Hyderabad State | Early Historic Site | 1936-37 |
| Kadkal (Raichur) Hyderabad State | Early Historic Site | 1936-37 |
| Rajan Kallur (Raichur) Hyderabad State | Megalithic Burial | 1939-40 |
| Kondapur (Sangareddy) Hyderabad State | Early Historic Site | 1940-41 |
| Phangiri (Nalgonda) | Early Historic Site | 1940-41 2004-05 2006-07 2010-11 |
| Yeleshwaram (Nalgonda) | Early Historic site | 1955-56 1960-61 1961-62 |
| Shaikpet, Hyderabad | Qutub Shahi Tombs (Golkonda) | 1969 1970-71 1971-72 1972-73 1973-74 1974-75 |
| Peddabankur (Kareemnagar) | Early Historic Site | 1970-71 1971-72 1972-73 1974-75 |
| Gollathagudi (Mahabubnagar) | Temple Site | 1971-72 1972-73 1973-74 1974-75 |
| Kadambapur (Kareemnagar) | Megalithic Burial | 1974-75 |
| Dulikatta (Kareemnagar) | Early Historic Site | 1974-75 1975-76 1976-77 1984-85 |
| Polakonda (Warangal) | Megalithic Burial | 1975-76 1976-77 |
| Keesaragutta (Ranga Reddy) | Early Historic Site | 1975-76 1976-77 1978-79 1979-80 1980-81 1981-82 1982-83 |
| Nelakondapally (Khammam) | Early Historic Site | 1976-77 1983-84 1984-85 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1990-91 1993-94 1994-95 1996-97 |
| Budigapalli (Warangal) | Early Historic Site | 1976-77 |
| Uppalapadu (Mahabubnagar) | Megalithic Burial | 1977-78 1978-79 |
| Chagatur (Mahabubnagar) | Megalithic Burial | 1977-78 1978-79 |
| Pragatur (Mahabubnagar) | Megalithic Burial | 1977-78 |
| Peddamarur (Mahabubnagar) | Megalithic Burial | 1977-78 |
| Chinnamaruru (Mahabubnagar) | Megalithic Burial | 1978-79 1979-80 |
| Gummadam, (Mahabubnagar) | Early Historic Site | 1978-79 1979-80 |
| Vedantapuram (Khammam) | Temple Site | 1978-79 |
| Gajulabanda (Nalgonda) | Buddhist Site | 1978-79 |
| Kotagadda (Nizamabad)</td > | Early Historic Site | 1978-79 |
| Nagnuru (Kareemnagar) | Temple Site | 1978-79 1980-81 |
| Pagidigutta (Mahabubnagar) | Early Historic Site | 1978-79 |
| Kotilingala (Kareemnagar) | Early Historic Site | 1979-80 1980-81 1981-82 1983-84 2008-09 2010-11 |
| Karapakala (Mahabubnagar) | Early Historic Site | 1979-80 |
| Rangapuram (Mahabubnagar) | Early Historic Site | 1979-80 |
| Kyetur (Mahabubnagar) | Early Historic Mound | 1981-82 |
| Kandi (Medak)</td > | Early Historic Site | 1982-83 |
| Huzurnagar (Nalgonda) | Megalithic Burial | 1982-83 |
| Hindur (Medak) | Early Historic Site | 1982-83 |
| Nirzappala (Medak) | Early Historic Site | 1982-83 |
| Ghanpur (Adilabad) | Pre-Historic Site | 1983-84 |
| Vardhannapeta (Warangal) | Medieval Site | 1984-85 |
| Aija (Mahabubnagar) | Megalithic Burial | 1984-85 |
| Jainadh (Adilabad) | Temple Site | 1984-85 |
| Nagarapadu (Khammam) | Early Historic Site | 1985-86 |
| Lebarthy (Warangal) | Megalithic Burial | 1985-86 |
| Erladinna (Mahabubnagar) | Megalithic Burial | 1986-87 1988-89 |
| Edithanur (Medak) | Early Historic Site | 1987-88 |
| Kohir (Medak) | Early Historic Site | 1987-88 |
| Puranahaveli (Hyderabad) | Medieval Site | 1988-89 |
| Bodhan (Nizamabad) | Early Historic Site | 1989-90 1992-93 |
| Gangadhara (Kareemnagar) | Early Historic Site | 1990-91 |
| Pulimamidi (Ranga Reddy) | Early Historic site | 1992-93 |
| Yeleshwaram (Nalgonda) | Early Historic site | 1955-56 1960-61 1961-62 |
| Burgupally (Ranga Reddy) | Early Historic Site | 1994-95 |
| Khammam Town (Khammam) | Megalithic Burial | 1996-97 |
| Konasamudram (Nizamabad) | Early Historic site | 1996-97 |
| Veligonda (Nalgonda) | Megalithic Site | 1999-2000 |
| Urukonda (Mahabubnagar) | Megalithic Site | 1999-2000 |
| Gorekunta (Warangal) | Early Historic Site | 1999-2000 |
| Gollegudem (Khammam) | Temple Site | 1999-2000 |
| Gundala (Khammam) | Temple site | 1999-2000 |
| Rudramakota (Khammam) | Medieval Site | 1999-2000 |
| Lingampally (Rangarerddy) | Megalithic Site | 1999-2000 |
| Geesukonda (Warangal) | Early Historic Site | 2000-2001 |
| Andugula (Mahabubnagar) | Megalithic site | 2011-2012 |
Latest Activities:
Megalithic burial site at Narmeta village
Excavation
Narmeta village, Nangunuru mandal, Siddipeta district. |
A Early historic site in Telangana state field season 2015-2016
Excavation
Pajjuru Village, Chandanapally Mandal, Nalgonda District |
Excavation of an Early Historical Site, Pajjura Village
Excavation
Pajjura Village, Tipparthy Mandal, Nalgonda District |
Recent findings from Buddhist Mahastupa, Phanigiri Village
Excavation
Phanigiri Village, Tirumalagiri Mandal, Nalgonda District |
Excavation of Megalithic burial site
Excavation
Pullur Banda Village , Siddipet Mandal , Medak District |
Exhibition of Excavated Materials From Megalithic Burials – Narmeta
Excavation
Narmeta village, Nangunur mandal |
Exhibition of Excavated Materials From Megalithic Burials – Palamakula
Excavation
Palamakula village, Nangunur mandal |
