The Tiger - Stabbed Stone – Based on field Research

Abstract

Since the dawn of humanity, when humans lived in forests, they have worshipped nature and lived in fear of death. They developed the practice of creating funerary monuments for the deceased. One such type of monument is the dolmen. These dolmens are approximately three thousand years old, and they feature drawings and paintings. Subsequently, during the megalithic period, hero stones or memorial stones for the deceased came into existence. Tamil warriors protected their villages from enemies, and when enemies raided cattle, the warrior(s) would fight to recover the cattle and die a heroic death in battle. A warrior would also die a heroic death after protecting the village from invading enemies. A warrior would even sacrifice his life for the well-being of the king. In honor of these warriors who sacrificed their lives, the general public, the king, and their relatives erected hero stones. These warriors protected the people not only from enemies but also from wild animals, particularly tigers, safeguarding cattle and people, and dying a heroic death in the process. Hero stones were erected to commemorate such heroes.