Amrithavalli Panyam | Deccan College Post-Graduate & Research Institute (Deemed University) , Pune, India (original) (raw)

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Research paper thumbnail of Studies on Śakti Worship and Śāktism in Odisha An Overview QuarterlyJournaloftheMythicSociety

The Quarterly Journal of The Mythic Society (QJMS), 2023

The worship of Śakti in Odisha has its roots in its tribal deities. Therefore, the beginning of t... more The worship of Śakti in Odisha has its roots in its tribal deities. Therefore, the beginning of the studies consists of the records on the tribes of Odisha by the Britishers and contemporary Indian scholars during the 19th century and early 20th century. Post-independence produced specialized research on Odisha's Śakti worship and Śāktism and established its significance in the literature of Indian religious sects. The present study reviews significant works on the worship of Śakti and Śāktism of Odisha and identifies various methodologies used.

Research paper thumbnail of An Ancient Harappan Genome Lacks Ancestry from Steppe Pastoralists or Iranian Farmers

Cell, 2019

Highlights d The individual was from a population that is the largest source of ancestry for Sout... more Highlights d The individual was from a population that is the largest source of ancestry for South Asians d Iranian-related ancestry in South Asia split from Iranian plateau lineages >12,000 years ago d First farmers of the Fertile Crescent contributed little to no ancestry to later South Asians

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing the physical and pathological traits of human skeletal

The Rakhigarhi site is the location of the ruins of an ancient megacity of the Harappan civilizat... more The Rakhigarhi site is the location of the ruins of an ancient megacity of the Harappan civilization and had not previously been investigated thoroughly. We tried to examine the physical and pathological traits of human skeletons (n = 37) from the cemetery at the site. In our study, a cranial index was calculated from one male skull (dolichocranic; index value = 65.78). The mean statures estimated by long bone length were 175.8 cm (male) and 166.1 cm (female). The indices of femoral diaphyseal shape were 79.8 (males) and 90.31 (females) for the platymeric index; and 113.78 (males) and 112.74 (female) for the pilasteric index. The dental health of the subjects appeared to be good as the overall prevalence of oral pathologies (caries and antemortem tooth loss) was generally low. Periosteal reactions were found in tibias and possible evidence of osteomyelitis was also observed in a femur. Some joint parts showed signs of osteoarthritis. Although various pathologies have been identified, we could not find any specific lesions suggestive of leprosy and tuberculosis in these skeletons. Although our study has added invaluable data to the existing information pool on the health and disease status of Harappan society, more accurate conjecture on the structure of Harrappan society based on bioarchaeological evidence will need additional research based on future excavations at Rakhigarhi cemetery.
Key words: Rakhigarhi, Harappan Civilization, paleopathology, stature, osteomyelitis

Research paper thumbnail of Craniofacial reconstruction of the Indus Valley Civilization individuals found at 4500-year-old Rakhigarhi cemetery

Anatomical Science International, 2019

Despite academic efforts to study the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), there have as yet been no ... more Despite academic efforts to study the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), there have as yet been no successful attempts to unveil the IVC people's craniofacial appearance. We investigated the IVC cemetery area of Rakhigarhi site, which was estimated to be of 2273 ± 38 and 2616 ± 73 years BCE. By craniofacial reconstruction (CFR) procedure using computed tomography (CT) data of two Rakhigarhi skulls (A1 BR02 and A2 BR36), we successfully reconstructed the faces of the IVC individuals who were buried about 4500 years ago. This is the first attempt to unveil scientifically accurate representations of IVC people's actual facial morphology.

Research paper thumbnail of Archaeological and anthropological studies on the Harappan cemetery of Rakhigarhi, India

PLOS One, 2018

An insufficient number of archaeological surveys has been carried out to date on Harappan Civiliz... more An insufficient number of archaeological surveys has been carried out to date on Harappan Civilization cemeteries. One case in point is the necropolis at Rakhigarhi site (Haryana, India), one of the largest cities of the Harappan Civilization, where most burials within the cemetery remained uninvestigated. Over the course of the past three seasons (2013 to 2016), we therefore conducted excavations in an attempt to remedy this data shortfall. In brief, we found different kinds of graves co-existing within the Rakhigarhi cemetery in varying proportions. Primary interment was most common, followed by the use of secondary,
symbolic, and unused (empty) graves. Within the first category, the atypical burials appear to have been elaborately prepared. Prone-positioned internments also attracted our attention. Since those individuals are not likely to have been social deviants, it is necessary to
reconsider our pre-conceptions about such prone-position burials in archaeology, at least in the context of the Harappan Civilization. The data presented in this report, albeit insufficient to provide a complete understanding of Harappan Civilization cemeteries, nevertheless
does present new and significant information on the mortuary practices and anthropological features at that time. Indeed, the range of different kinds of burials at the Rakhigarhi cemetery do appear indicative of the differences in mortuary rituals seen within Harappan societies, therefore providing a vivid glimpse of how these people respected their dead.

Research paper thumbnail of Studies on Śakti Worship and Śāktism in Odisha An Overview QuarterlyJournaloftheMythicSociety

The Quarterly Journal of The Mythic Society (QJMS), 2023

The worship of Śakti in Odisha has its roots in its tribal deities. Therefore, the beginning of t... more The worship of Śakti in Odisha has its roots in its tribal deities. Therefore, the beginning of the studies consists of the records on the tribes of Odisha by the Britishers and contemporary Indian scholars during the 19th century and early 20th century. Post-independence produced specialized research on Odisha's Śakti worship and Śāktism and established its significance in the literature of Indian religious sects. The present study reviews significant works on the worship of Śakti and Śāktism of Odisha and identifies various methodologies used.

Research paper thumbnail of An Ancient Harappan Genome Lacks Ancestry from Steppe Pastoralists or Iranian Farmers

Cell, 2019

Highlights d The individual was from a population that is the largest source of ancestry for Sout... more Highlights d The individual was from a population that is the largest source of ancestry for South Asians d Iranian-related ancestry in South Asia split from Iranian plateau lineages >12,000 years ago d First farmers of the Fertile Crescent contributed little to no ancestry to later South Asians

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing the physical and pathological traits of human skeletal

The Rakhigarhi site is the location of the ruins of an ancient megacity of the Harappan civilizat... more The Rakhigarhi site is the location of the ruins of an ancient megacity of the Harappan civilization and had not previously been investigated thoroughly. We tried to examine the physical and pathological traits of human skeletons (n = 37) from the cemetery at the site. In our study, a cranial index was calculated from one male skull (dolichocranic; index value = 65.78). The mean statures estimated by long bone length were 175.8 cm (male) and 166.1 cm (female). The indices of femoral diaphyseal shape were 79.8 (males) and 90.31 (females) for the platymeric index; and 113.78 (males) and 112.74 (female) for the pilasteric index. The dental health of the subjects appeared to be good as the overall prevalence of oral pathologies (caries and antemortem tooth loss) was generally low. Periosteal reactions were found in tibias and possible evidence of osteomyelitis was also observed in a femur. Some joint parts showed signs of osteoarthritis. Although various pathologies have been identified, we could not find any specific lesions suggestive of leprosy and tuberculosis in these skeletons. Although our study has added invaluable data to the existing information pool on the health and disease status of Harappan society, more accurate conjecture on the structure of Harrappan society based on bioarchaeological evidence will need additional research based on future excavations at Rakhigarhi cemetery.
Key words: Rakhigarhi, Harappan Civilization, paleopathology, stature, osteomyelitis

Research paper thumbnail of Craniofacial reconstruction of the Indus Valley Civilization individuals found at 4500-year-old Rakhigarhi cemetery

Anatomical Science International, 2019

Despite academic efforts to study the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), there have as yet been no ... more Despite academic efforts to study the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), there have as yet been no successful attempts to unveil the IVC people's craniofacial appearance. We investigated the IVC cemetery area of Rakhigarhi site, which was estimated to be of 2273 ± 38 and 2616 ± 73 years BCE. By craniofacial reconstruction (CFR) procedure using computed tomography (CT) data of two Rakhigarhi skulls (A1 BR02 and A2 BR36), we successfully reconstructed the faces of the IVC individuals who were buried about 4500 years ago. This is the first attempt to unveil scientifically accurate representations of IVC people's actual facial morphology.

Research paper thumbnail of Archaeological and anthropological studies on the Harappan cemetery of Rakhigarhi, India

PLOS One, 2018

An insufficient number of archaeological surveys has been carried out to date on Harappan Civiliz... more An insufficient number of archaeological surveys has been carried out to date on Harappan Civilization cemeteries. One case in point is the necropolis at Rakhigarhi site (Haryana, India), one of the largest cities of the Harappan Civilization, where most burials within the cemetery remained uninvestigated. Over the course of the past three seasons (2013 to 2016), we therefore conducted excavations in an attempt to remedy this data shortfall. In brief, we found different kinds of graves co-existing within the Rakhigarhi cemetery in varying proportions. Primary interment was most common, followed by the use of secondary,
symbolic, and unused (empty) graves. Within the first category, the atypical burials appear to have been elaborately prepared. Prone-positioned internments also attracted our attention. Since those individuals are not likely to have been social deviants, it is necessary to
reconsider our pre-conceptions about such prone-position burials in archaeology, at least in the context of the Harappan Civilization. The data presented in this report, albeit insufficient to provide a complete understanding of Harappan Civilization cemeteries, nevertheless
does present new and significant information on the mortuary practices and anthropological features at that time. Indeed, the range of different kinds of burials at the Rakhigarhi cemetery do appear indicative of the differences in mortuary rituals seen within Harappan societies, therefore providing a vivid glimpse of how these people respected their dead.