There have been a number of spirited debates on the people and society of the (IVC). Even after a number of pioneering studies, with their invaluable contributions to the understanding of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), however, the Harappan people in their biological and anthropological aspects remain mysterious. Our project focuses on the Rakhigarhi site and, more specifically, a cemetery mound with human remains discovered there. By means of the proposed research and the various advanced techniques entailed, a full and very detailed biological and anthropological picture of the Harappan people could be obtained.
The Rakhigarhi site is located in the Indian state of Haryana. In preliminary excavations undertaken to establish the chronology and other characteristics of the site, a citadel mound (RGR-2) surrounded by a mudbrick fortification wall was found. Other ruins discovered in the area included platforms, a wide road, a brick well, altars, a granary, streets and brick-lined drains. Many archaeologists maintained that Rakhigarhi, representing all of the IVC's phases Early, Mature, and Late, is one of the greatest Harrapan cities.
Although the previous findings show Rakhigarhi to have been, like other IVC sites, well planned, it remains, for the most part, only incompletely excavated. Recently though, Dr. Vasant Shinde of Deccan College (India), after long-term preliminary investigations, has begun to excavate additional Rakhigarhi sites. A particularly interesting discovery thus far is a burial mound (RGR-7) dating to the mature Harappan phase. In a 1998 investigation, tombs, most of which consisted of brick-lined pits, were discovered (Singh, 2008). Some human remains also were found, though no comprehensive analysis could be completed, due to the unavailability of thoroughgoing anthropological techniques at that time.
In our RGR-7 excavations of the season 2015, we also identified a number of burial pits, date estimated to 4,500 BP, with skeletons (n=4). These remains currently are stored at Deccan College awaiting the proposed project's scientific examination. Additional excavations, meanwhile, were also scheduled for the same cemetery. In 2016, Deccan College and Seoul National University jointly investigated a much wider cemetery area within mound RGR-7. All skeletons obtained from the Rakhgarhi site were fall under this project's purview.
Our research focused on ancient human skeletons obtained from the Rakhigarhi cemetery. The samples were collected via a procedure specifically designed to avoid modern-DNA contamination, and were subjected to the most cutting-edge techniques of precision archaeological science, including gross anthropological, archaeoparasitological, craniofacial reconstruction (CFR) etc. As anthropology specialists, our team participated in the Rakhigarhi excavations from the outset. The obtained human samples were examined and maintained at Deccan College. Some of them, with the permission of the relevant Indian authorities. In order to limit contamination to the minimum, the samples obtained were stored in sterilized containers, and researchers who handled them wore sterilized gowns, gloves, and masks. Subsequent scientific analyses proceeded as follows.
Gross-Anthropological Study: Fundamental morphometric information was obtained from the Rakhigarhi skeletons. Data on stature, sex, age at death and cephalic index were estimated based on observations and measurements. Any pathological lesions of the reconstructed cranium or postcranial skeleton were macroscopically examined as well.
Archaeoparasitological Study: This entails the application of the techniques to archaeological samples in order to reveal parasitic infection patterns among historical populations. The initial, preparatory stage is the obtainment of soil samples from the surface of the hipbones or the sacrum. Samples are re-hydrated and filtered through layers of gauze. Then, each sample was examined under light microscopy.
Craniofacial Reconstruction (CFR): This is a technique that is used to restore the living facial appearance to a skull in order to recognize, or identify, an individual. First, skull fragments obtained from the Rakhigarhi site tombs were scanned using Computed Tomography (CT). Then, both skull re-assembly and CFR from the reconstructed skull was performed using a computerized 3D modeling system. As for the average facial soft-tissue depths, a dataset of living northwest Indian adults (Sahni et al., 2002; 2008) was utilized. Each major facial muscle will be recreated based on a databank of pre-modeled facial muscles compiled by Wilkinson (2003). In the final stage, utilizing the transparency tools in the FreeForm software, a skin layer will be formed over the muscle and skull structure. The CFR was complemented by 3D computer graphics technology that will create skin texture, hairstyle and clothing to enable visualization of the overall appearance of the individual.
In this analysis, our hypothesis was as follows:
One of a number of spirited debates on the IVC centers around the Harappan peoples' biological traits. A CFR technique will be applied to the Rakhigarhi skeletons in order to unveil the faces of those individuals. Some forensic cases have already demonstrated that CFR techniques can provide resemblances to actual faces adequate enough to enable recognition. The reconstruction of the face of the English King Richard III from an archaeologically obtained skull is a very recent and fascinating example. The same technique will be applied to the Harappan skulls obtained from the Rakhigarhi cemetery. In none of the previous investigations were researchers able to draw definitive conclusions on the question of what the Harappan people looked like; the only clues are those obtained from a few human terracotta figurines (e.g. the famous dancing-girl and priest-king). Our technique, by which the first-ever facial reconstruction of an approximately 4,500-year-old Harappan individual will be achieved, can provide a definitive answer to that question and, at the same time, shed some faint yet illuminatingly human light on one of the greatest civilizations in human history.
Certainly though, CFR was not the sole aims of this project. The health and disease status of the Harrapan people also has long attracted anthropologists' interest. An earlier study on skeletons from another Harappan cemetery concluded that the Harappan people were healthy agriculturalists who enjoyed good nutrition and a very low disease prevalence (Dales and Kenoyer, 1991). In the current proposed project as well, utilizing various anthropological techniques (morphometry and paleopathology), and paleoparasitology (revealing the prevalence of parasite infection), we will evaluate the health and disease status of Harappan society. It is anticipated that in the course of this project, and by the various advanced techniques employed, a full and very detailed biological and anthropological picture of the Harappan people will emerge.
Bibliography/References
Dales GF, Kenoyer JM (1991) Summaries of five seasons of research at Harappa (District Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan) 1986-1990. Harappa Excav 1986-1990: 185--262.
Sahni, D., Jit, I., Gupta, M., Singh, P., Suri, S., Sanjeev, and Kaur, H. (2002) Preliminary study on facial soft tissue thickness by magnetic resonance imaging in northwest Indians. Forensic Science Communications, 4, pp.1-7.
Sahni, D., Sanjeev, Singh, G., Jit, I., and Singh, P. (2008) Facial soft tissue thickness in northwest Indian adults. Forensic Science International, 176 (2-3), pp.137-146.
Wilkinson, C.M. (2003) Virtual sculpture as a method of computerized facial reconstruction. Proceedings of the 1st. International Conference on Reconstruction of Soft Facial Parts, pp. 59-63, Potsdam, Germany.
