Geophysical Discovery of Archaeological Sites at Nelakondapally in Andhra Pradesh, India

The discovery of a hemispherical shaped Maha Stupa, the largest known in South India belonging to the 2nd to 6th century A.D., Buddhist monastic order at Nelakondapally (Khammam district, Andhra Pradesh), has marked the area for further exploration for cultural sites and objects. The Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of A.P., has been actively pursuing exploration in this area using conventional methods and brought to light some important archaeological findings indicating the importance of the area for elucidating the full structural details of the dwelling complexes and other cultural objects. With a view towards creating awareness among the archaeologists on the use of geophysics in archaeology, an experimental geophysical survey has been carried out using magnetic, electrical and electromagnetic methods, in an area near Nelakondapally. These surveys have brought out geophysical anomalies resulting in the discovery of sites and objects of archaeological interest. This paper describes the survey and the results which led to the discoveries.