www.j-n-a.org 265). in the existing andcultural the social Furthermore, memories Architecture: A Case of House Structures and Structures House Case A of Architecture: Abstract Chakhesang tribe. Chakhesang values of erecting megalithic monuments also appear to also appear megalithic have monuments values of erecting are Ditamulu Vasa son incorporates feasting with the whole population of his population incorporates villageson feasting with the whole crucial in elucidating importance of meritorious the ideology feats common object for transmitting social memory” (Blackburn 2008, 2008, (Blackburn memory” social transmitting for common object Merit thatthe cusses of Feast briefly stone coincideswithdrag the and “consists each costlier of feasts, than of aseries the preceding Social Stratification Villages of the of Chozuba and the monoliths today that stand are most considered to “the be their in houses the Chozubaadorning andRunguzu villages of the zation, rituals and their economic usages. The well-defined cultural well-defined The rituals andtheirzation, usages. economic Merit is considered the most important social ceremony social in is Naga considered important Merit the most Megalithism is a prehistoric phenomenon but, in Naga society, part in society, Naga but, part Megalithism is aprehistoric phenomenon on the ideology of erecting megalithic monuments, social organi social megalithic monuments, of erecting the ideology on one, and each higher in (Lotha status” 52). 2008, Andthis Feast of of aper the memory to amonolith perpetuate of rituals. Erecting of as an recognized informative has Feast been agency ofed Merit economic activities, though with much lower pomp, magnitude and activities, economic of itis still a“living associated tradition with their social, religious and ging the stone (Figs.ging the stone ging ceremony earn in terms men andthe status of representations and Runguzu, Chakhesang Naga Chakhesang Runguzu, and Naga oral history relating to megalithic culture history oral Naga and the associat ing the selection of the stone, participation of the menfolk in of drag the menfolk of the stone, participation ing the selection the domestic and social activities within the community in within aseries the community activities andsocial the domestic tures glimpses traditions andliving withmega fleeting of the living (Fig. the north the northeastern cornerthe northeastern of , bordering Myanmar in the east, Ma ries relating to megalithic culture elucidates important information information important elucidates culture to relating megalithic ries Ideology and Symbolism and Traditional of Ideology by erecting crude stone monuments. The social customs social involv The monuments. stone crude by erecting many changes” (Khongreiwo 2014, 292). andArunachal andwest in in the north nipur in Assam the south, dis paper This has ahigher status. who gained of aperson memory Introduction lithic that tradition continues up to the present day. to practiced be the to the point of specialization perpetuating lationship with craft liefs thatliefs prevailed a in monolith erecting gained worldwide fame The social and cultural memories existing in the Naga oral histo in oral the Naga existing andcultural social memories The The state of , surrounded by stateof Nagaland, surrounded hillsThe andmountains, lies in Since time the megalithic immemorial, culture of the Nagas was of Journal of Neolithic Archaeology 1). Nagaland comprises with variant tribes various cul 2 and3), order, economic andthe religious be ------

Cite as: motifs woodcarvings, wealth, status, monolith, Keywords: 2019 6December Published 2019 16 October Reviewed Received history: Article [email protected] Meriema, University,Nagaland Kohima Campus &Archaeology History of Department Vasa Ditamulu Author‘s address: 10.12766/jna.2019S.6] [doi 93–106 2019, Habelt R. Bonn: 5. Issue Special JNA scapes. Monumentality