Rakhigarhi: Anthropological Survey of India gets human skeletal remains for study
New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) Human skeletal remains excavated from the archaeological site of Rakhigarhi in Haryana recently have been formally handed over by the ASI to the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI), for detailed scientific investigation, an official said on Monday.
Professor B.V. Sharma, Director of AnSI, said that the transfer, carried out under a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions, is expected to significantly advance multidisciplinary research into one of the most important urban centres of the Indus-Saraswati Civilisation.
Researchers believe the remains present a rare opportunity to apply modern scientific techniques, including ancient DNA analysis, stable isotope studies, osteological assessments, palaeopathological investigations, and environmental reconstruction, said a statement.
These approaches are expected to provide valuable insights into ancestry, migration patterns, diet, disease prevalence, adaptation strategies, and human-environment interactions during the Harappan period, it said.
Rakhigarhi, spread across approximately 550 hectares in Haryana, is widely recognised as the largest known settlement of the Indus-Saraswati Civilisation.
Archaeological excavations have revealed evidence of continuous habitation from the Early Harappan to the Mature Harappan periods, including planned settlements, drainage systems, craft production centres, trade networks, and burial grounds.
During excavations conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) Excavation Branch-II, Greater Noida, in the 2025–26 field season, archaeologists uncovered eight burials at Mound No. 7, an area previously identified as a cemetery.
Three complete human skeletons, along with skeletal fragments recovered from other burials, have now been transferred to AnSI’s ancient human skeletal repository and laboratory in Kolkata for detailed examination, said an official statement.
The remaining skeletal materials obtained at these sites are also expected to be transferred in a few days.
Professor Vijay Prakash, a former faculty member of Andhra University, described the transfer of skeletal materials as an important step toward ensuring that biological heritage recovered through archaeological excavations is scientifically analysed and preserved by national institutions for the benefit of future generations.
Professor Udai Pratap Singh of Lucknow University similarly said the transfer marks an important milestone in strengthening India’s palaeoanthropological research tradition. He noted that AnSI’s expertise in human biology and osteology places it in a strong position to reconstruct aspects of population history, health, lifestyle, and cultural adaptation in the Indus Saraswati Civilisation.
Anthropologist Professor Subhash Walimbe, formerly of Deccan College, Pune, emphasised the importance of intensive anthropological examination of the remains to understand how urbanisation influenced human biological and pathological responses, said the statement.
Officials said the collaboration between ASI and AnSI represents a significant effort to integrate archaeology, anthropology, genetics, and environmental sciences in the study of India’s ancient past.
The findings from the Rakhigarhi remains are expected to contribute substantially to understanding the origins, health, mobility, and biological history of one of the world’s earliest urban civilisations, said the statement.
–IANS
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