Assessing the physical and pathological traits of human skeletal remains from cemetery localities at the Rakhigarhi site of the Harappan Civilization (original) (raw)
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Korean Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2015
Harappan Civilization is well known for highly sophisticated urban society, having been flourished in extensive regions of northwestern part of Pakistan and northeastern part of Afghanistan as its heyday around 4500 years ago. Most archaeologists agree on the periodization of this civilization as three different phases (Early, Mature and Late), which represent its cultural process of origin, development and decline. From the Harappan sites, one can note that there were about more than fifty burial sites discovered so far related with the civilization. In this article, we are trying to introduce the brief picture of the Harappan burials from the archaeological as well as anthropological perspectives.
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 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
Bulletin of Deccan College, 2018
Chance findings of human skeletal remains are very common in excavation process. Most of the time there are no indications of the grave on the surface. Some time while exploration or general cutting of the section can expose the bones. The present paper based on accidental exposure of human remains at Harappan site Surkotada, Dist. Kachchh, Gujarat, while visiting the site which was excavated in 1971-72 by Archaeological Survey of India under Shri. S.P. Joshi. Eventually bones representing almost entire body got exposed with some undamaged burial pottery. The finding came from a heap of soil outside of the boundary wall constructed by the ASI for the protection of the site. The AMS dating of a sherd (bulk sherd organics) from the associated burial pottery yielded the date 4590+/-30 BP (2 sigma Cal BC 3490 to 3465, Cal BC 3375 to 3340 and 3200 to 3195). Based on this date, the Surkotada burial and associated burial pottery can be dated to the second half of fourth millennium BC i.e. Early Harappan Phase.
Preliminary Findings on Human Skeletal Remains from Harappan Site of Farmana
Iranian Journal of Archaeological Studies, 2012
The present paper deals with the primary observations conducted on human skeletal remains excavated at Harappan site of Farmana. The site (29°02'22"N and 76°18'21"E) in the jurisdiction of Meham block of Rohtak district, Haryana, is locally known as Daksh Kheda. Three cultural phases have been identified; Early Harappan, Mature Harappan and Late Harappan, dating back to 2500 BC. In all 70 burial pits were demarked, out of that 59 were excavated and skeletal remains of 35 individuals have been identified. Primary, secondary and symbolic burials were found within the site. Standard methods are used for the skeletal analysis. Detailed inventory is prepared for each individual. Observations are made which includes age estimation, sex determination, stature estimation, morpho-metry and pathology. Taphonomical changes are also noted. Unfortunately not many pathologies could be identified on these specimens, as the preservation of skeletal elements is far from satisfactory. There are 11 males and 15 females and sex identification of one individual is not possible. Other than these adults, 4 children and 5 adolescents are also present. Apart from attrition, in dental pathology, only one case of enamel hypoplasia is encountered and few teeth with caries have been found. Dental fluorosis is also seen on one individual. Vertebral pathology indentified on single specimen though confirmation is not possible due to the weathering of bones. Interestingly one individual (39 B) has provided evidence of trauma which shows the beginning stages of healing. Only the skull of this individual has been preserved and therefore no comment can be made about post-cranial changes. Overall, it looks like the Farmana individuals were quite healthy.
Journal of Indian Anthropological Society , 2020
During the last few decades, bioarchaeological practitioners have been trying to get an integrated picture of the past by applying the biocultural model to study skeletal remains. Research endeavour on biocultural adaptation of the past, based on the adult skeletal remains gained significant recognition in the academia, but the sub-adult skeletal remains never received substantial attention. Other than estimation of age and sex, systematic examination of sub-adult skeletal remains can provide a complete picture of the morbidity pattern and their age-wise prevalence at the time of death of the children of past society. Thus, the interwoven nature of palaeopathology and palaeodemography has been useful for understanding the health profile of the ancient population. For example, pathological lesions like, Harris line, enamel hypoplasia (EH), porotic hyperostosis, periostitis, and so on that caused a detrimental effect on the health of the overall sub-adult population have made a significant appearance with the gradual emergence of agriculture. This research paper aims at providing an insight into the health profile of the children in the Indian archaeological context (up to Chalcolithic period) by using palaeopathological data as a primary tool. The entire work is based on secondary data i.e. published reports and monographs. During the course of this work, no attempt has been made to restudy any skeletal remain. Published work on well represented and well-documented sites like, Mesolithic (Damdama), Neolithic (Budihal), and Chalcolithic Deccan (Dimabad, Nevasa, Inamgaon, Walki, and Kaothe) has been compiled for this work. A gradual shift in the subsistence pattern has left a significant impact on the overall sub-adult population of the past in the form of different pathological lesions. The research involves an examination of the nature of pathological lesions found on the sub-adult skeletons, more precisely the emergence of pathological lesions and their probable biocultural connotation.
Present paper deals with the preliminary findings of the study of human skeleton excavated at Dihar, (Lat. 23˚7΄10˝ N‐23° 08ʹ 10˝ N, and Long. 87˚21 ʹ E‐87˚ 22΄ E), in close proximity to the late medieval temple town of Vishnupur (the capital of the ancient Malla dynasty), in the north‐eastern part of the district of Bankura, West Bengal. The site was excavated by the Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta by second author. The human skeleton excavated in 2012‐13 from the trench C 1 was studied by the first author in November 2013. The site gives evidence from Pre‐metallic EVF (Early Village Farming) to late medieval period and the skeleton probably belonging to early historical period. Almost completely preserved individual is male and aged around 45 – 50 years. The observations include osteometry, Odontometry and pathological lesions.
Tales from Fragments: A Review of Indian Human Skeletal Studies
Anatomy and Biological Anthropolology, 2019
India provides large number of skeletal data from the pre- and protohistoric levels covering a time span of almost 10,000 years. Major skeletal collection comes from the cultural phases ranging from the Mesolithic, Harappan, Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Iron Age levels. After the Early Historic phase cremation became the most common method for disposing the dead. Though the relevant documentation is far less than complete, recovery of human burials has been reported from more than 300 sites (Mushrif-Tripathy et al. 2016) and a conservative estimate would lead to imagine approximately 2000 human skeletons. The human skeletal analysis started around 1950s and initial focus of the study was to understand the racial classification of the skulls and to prove the Indo-Aryan invasion theory. Later from 1980s multidisplinary approach including socio-cultural anthropology, growth and nutrition and medical anthropology were considered. The recent development includes the use of new scientific methods like isotope, aDNA, DXA scans, and Scanning Electron Microscope studies etc. are consider to understand ancient inhabitants of Indian Sub-continent.
Archaeological and anthropological studies on the Harappan cemetery of Rakhigarhi, India
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.
Analysis of human skeletal remains from Sangankallu: A Neolithic site from Karnataka
Man and Environment, 2022
There are few sites from Kanataka where sub-adult skeletal remains were found from the Neolithic-Chalcolithic context. Many of these bones are not been studied using anthropological parameters other than the site of Budhihal. Therefore, the present paper is important because it adds data to the present corpus of anthropological studies. The paper deals with the human skeletal remains excavated from Hiregudda locality of the Neolithic site of Sangankallu in 2003-04. The site is dated around 2000 BCE. The human skeletal remains belong to sub-adult category. Out of six, two are around 6-8 months old, one around one and half year, two around two and half year and one belonging to 15 and half year old. The sex determination was not conducted on these specimens. All the bones are fragmentary in nature. The pathological findings are mainly seen on adolescent individual. The pathological findings include possible case of maxillary sinusitis, periostosis of long bones, dental chipping and carries.