During the latest round of excavations at the 5,000-years-old Harappan site of Rakhigarhi (Haryana’s Hisar district) have revealed the structure of some houses, lanes and drainage system, and what could possibly be a jewellery-making unit.
Key findings from Rakhigarhi
- DNA samples collected from two human skeletons unearthed at Rakhigarhi have been sent for scientific examination.
- The skeletons of two women were found a couple of months ago at mound number 7 (named RGR 7 by the Archaeological Survey of India), believed to be nearly 5,000 years old.
- Pots and other artefacts were also found buried next to them in a pit, part of the funerary rituals back in the Harappan Civilisation era.
- Seven mounds (RGR 1- RGR 7) scattered around two villages (Rakhi Khas and Rakhi Shahpur) in Hisar district are part of the Rakhigarhi archaeological site.
- RGR 7 is a cemetery site of the Harappan period when this was a well-organised city.
About Rakhigarhi
- Rakhigarhi is among the five iconic sites announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her Budget Speech in February 2020. The other sites are Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh, Sivasagar in Assam, Dholavira in Gujarat and Adichanallur in Tamil Nadu.
- The site was first excavated by the ASI in 1998-2001. Later, Deccan College, Pune, excavated the site from 2013 to 2016.
- The site of Rakhigarh is one of the five known biggest townships of Harappan civilization on Indian sub-continent. Other four are Harappa, Mohenjodaro and Ganveriwala in Pakistan and Dholavira (Gujrat) in India.
- The site is situated at the centre of the Ghaggar-Hakra basin (in the valley of the now dry course of the Drishadvati River, a tributary of the Saraswati River), in the Narnaund Tehsil of Hissar district, Haryana.
- This site was excavated by Shri Amarendra Nath of Archeological Survey of India.
- The archaeological excavations revealed mature Harappan phase represented by planned township having mud-brick as well as burnt-brick houses with proper drainage system.
- Animal sacrificial pit lined with mud brick and triangular and circular fire alters on the mud floor have also been excavated that signifiest the ritual system of Harappans.
- A cylindrical seal with five Harappan characters on one side and a symbol of an alligator on the other is an important find from this site.
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