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 Nartiang Market. Nartiang is about 30 km north of the town of Jowai in the Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. This magnificient megalith complex lies one kilometre from the ruin of the Royal Palace of the Jaintia Kings. Probably erected during the second or third quarter of the 16th century AD when the administration and commercial focus of the Jaintia rulers moved to this summer hill location. The stone market covers an area of more than 100 metres in diameter and is crowded with very finely quarried monoliths and cromlechs undoubtedly weighing several thousands of tonnes in aggregate. Like Noncet this commercial centre was viable until the great earthquake of 1897 AD rendered many of the stones unstable but the market still continues today on the skirt of the megalithic complex. |
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The monoliths and cromlechs.
The standards of quarrying which produced the stones for this site were superb. 
These great plates, several metres across, are often less than 30 cm, (12 inches), in thickness. Originally each table was supported by short pillars of stone. The tables were the display places for the produce of the stall- holders. |
| These two , shattered, plates are over 4 metres by 5 metres, (13 feet by 16 feet), but less than 20 centimetres, (8 inches), thick. |
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| The monoliths.
These uprights are highly accomplished examples of quarry-men's craft. Most of these blades are over 10 feet, (3m), tall. For another display of Meghalayan commercial megalithic architecture see: Noncet Market. |
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| Blade stones.
The stone used at Nartiang is a course- grained granite. It is not clear what the quarrying techniques were. This would be a very difficult medium from which to carve fine forms yet the most delicate of blades and plates seems to have been produced and shifted with ease to this site which occupies the top of a knoll. | 
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The King's Stone.
To the rear can be seen the first of the modern market stalls built of timber and roofed with corrugated iron and flattened-out oil drums. |
At the very apex of the Nartiang knoll this immense menhir rises over 18 feet, (5.6 metres), above ground. It is more than 6 feet wide, (2 metres), and 1.5 feet, (0.46 metres), thick.
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Adjacent to the King's Stone are other very tall, over 7 metres, monoliths.
It is thought this is the area where the yearly opening ritual for Nartiang Market was performed by the Jaintia kings. |
| Cobra Stones.
This form of curved monolith is numerous here and appears to be a deliberate style. There are many large, natural blocks lying on the surface in this area. These often have eroded curved ends. The Jaintia quarriers when cleaving their monoliths continued the cutting lines around the ends of these worn and naturally polished boulders producing this elegant curve. When erected these stones resemble the threat stance of the King Cobra venomous snake. In this region the King Cobra is said to grow to a maximum of 18 feet, (5.6 metres), and, when threatened, may stand 2 metres tall. An impressive icon often used in India. |
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Apart from the entry paths this area is densely packed with these stone stalls, often three or four deep. So close are the tables and pillars that many would have to be reached only by clambering over the tables.
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| Eggs.
The only natural boulders on this site are egg shaped balls. These have been respected among the stalls. It is not clear if they occupy their original positions or were installed at the time of the building of the market. |
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| Egg slices.
Great service has been rendered by other ball or egg shaped natural boulders. These have been sliced with great precision and control to provide many of the table tops. |
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| The quality of stone- work here is astonishing. Many of these monoliths and tables are less than 12 inches, 300mm, thick and some are 4 inches, 100mm, or less.
This standard of rivening might only be matched by the Bronze Age megalith erectors of Caithness, Scotland who had an abundance of Caithness Flag, an easily split soft sandstone, or, in Wales, UK, by the slate miners of North Wales in the 19th and early 20th century AD, but the Jaintia quarriers were not working with high quality clean planing stone. The granite they have worked here is often packed with 1 inch, 25 mm, quartz crystals.  |
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Nartiang still has a thriving market situated as close as safety allows to the tallest of the ancient monoliths.
This market opens for trade on every eighth day. 
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Noncet Market. Mawsmai Village. Ummonoi Living Root Bridge. |
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