Nearly 5,000-year-old skeletons discovered at Rakhigarhi in Haryana, the largest known Harappan civilisation site, have been sent by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for scientific examination and facial reconstruction, a report said.
A release issued by PIB said that the human skeletal remains have been handed over to the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI), a national research institute of repute under Ministry of Culture, Government of India, by the ASI for detailed scientific investigation.
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 Civilization, said Prof BV Sharma, Director of AnSI.
Rakhigarhi, spread across approximately 550 hectares in Haryana, is widely recognized as the largest known settlement of the Indus-Saraswati Civilization. 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 ASI’s 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. The remaining skeletal materials obtained at these sites are also expected to be transferred in few days.
Researchers believe the remains present a rare opportunity to apply modern scientific techniques, including ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis, stable isotope studies, osteological assessments, palaeopathological investigations, and environmental reconstruction. 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.
According to AnSI, the research will be conducted in collaboration with leading scientific institutions, including the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, University College London (UCL), and a team of scholars from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) specializing in ancient DNA research, the PIB release said.