Rakhigarhi

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Rakhigarhi
Rakhigarhi Harappan civilization.jpg
Rakhigarhi is located in Haryana
Rakhigarhi
Shown within Haryana
Rakhigarhi is located in India
Rakhigarhi
Rakhigarhi (India)
Alternative nameRakhi Garhi
LocationHaryana, India
Coordinates29°17′35″N 76°6′51″E / 29.29306°N 76.11417°E / 29.29306; 76.11417Coordinates: 29°17′35″N 76°6′51″E / 29.29306°N 76.11417°E / 29.29306; 76.11417
TypeSettlement
Area350 hectares (3.5 km2; 1.4 sq mi)[1]
80–105 hectares (0.80–1.05 km2; 0.31–0.41 sq mi) (Gregory Possehl, Rita P. Wright, Raymond Allchin, Jonathan Mark Kenoyer)
History
CulturesIndus Valley Civilization
Site notes
Excavation dates1963, 1997–2000, 2011-present

Rakhigarhi, Rakhi Garhi (Rakhi Shahpur + Rakhi Khas), is a village in Hisar District in the state of Haryana in India, situated 150 kilometers to the northwest of Delhi. It is the site of a pre-Indus Valley Civilisation settlement going back to about 6500 BCE.[2] Later, it was also part of the mature Indus Valley Civilisation, dating to 2600-1900 BCE.[3] The site is located in the Ghaggar-Hakra River plain,[4] some 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar river.

Rakhigarhi encompasses a set of 11 mounds with a confirmed size in excess of 350 hectares, according to the Global Heritage Fund Rakhigarhi is the largest and oldest Indus sites in the world.[5][6][7][1][8]

The size and uniqueness of Rakhigarhi has drawn much attention of archaeologists all over the world. It is nearer to Delhi than other major sites, indicating the spread of the Indus Valley Civilization east across North India. Only 5% of the site had been excavated,[9] much of the area is yet to be excavated[10] and published.[11]:215

Another related excavation sites in the area are Mitathal and the smaller site Lohari Ragho, which are still awaiting excavation.

Site details[edit]

Site location[edit]

It is located in the Ghaggar-Hakra river plain,[12] some 27 km from the seasonal Ghaggar river. Today, Rakhigarhi is a small village in Haryana State, India.[13]

There are many other important archaeological sites in this area, in the old river valley to the east of the Ghaggar Plain. Among them are Kalibangan, Kunal, Balu, Bhirrana, and Banawali.[14]

According to Jane McIntosh, Rakhigarhi is located in the valley of the prehistoric Drishadvati River that originated in Siwalik Hills.[15] Chautang is a tributary of Sarsuti river which in turn is tributary of Ghaggar river.[16][17]

Largest and oldest IVC site[edit]

According to the Global Heritage Fund Rakhigarhi is one of the largest and oldest Indus sites in the world.[5] As of 2020, the detailed site studies have placed total area of contiguous site more than 350-hectare, which entails 11 archaeological mounds.[9] Some estimates put the potential size to be 550 hectares.[18]

Prior to the detailed studies and excavations, some scholars, including Raymond Allchin and Rita P. Wright, believed the site to be only between 80 hectares and 100+ hectares in area.[4][18][19][20] Furthermore, Possehl did not believe that all mounds in Rakhigarhi belong to the same Indus Valley settlement, stating, "RGR-6, a Sothi-Siswal site known as Arda, was probably a separate settlement."[18]

Based on his 1997 and 2000 excavations, Amarendra Nath reported that the site covers more than 300 hectares (3.0 km2) in size with 7 mounds, five of which were contiguous.[21][22]

In January 2014, the discovery of additional mounds resulted in it becoming the largest Indus Valley Civilization site, overtaking Mohenjodaro (300 hectares) by almost 50 hectares, resulting in almost 350 hectares.[8] In 2014-15, joint excavations conducted by the Haryana Archaeological Department, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute and Seoul National University identified two more mounds of 25 hectares each, which raised the total number of mounds to nine from RGR-1 to RGR-9 with a total site size of 350 hectares (3.5 km2), thus making it the largest Indus Valley Civilization site.[6][7][1]

In 2016, total number of mounds became 11,[5] after 2 more mounds were identified by the excavations team which mapped the site.

Excavations[edit]

Chronology of excavations[edit]

By 2020, 5% of the site had been excavated by the ASI and Deccan College.[9] While the earliest excavation of IVC sites started from Harappa in 1921-1922 and Mohenjo-daro in 1931, the excavations at Rakhigrahi were first carried out in 1969, followed by more excavations in 1997-98, 1998–99 and 1999-2000, and between 2011-16. There are 11 mounds in Rakhigarhi which are named RGR-1 to RGR-11, of which RGR-5 is thickly populated by establishment of Rakhishahpur village and is not available for excavations. RGR-1 to RGR-3, RGR6 to RGR9 and some part of RGR-4 are available for excavations.[5][6][7][23] The ASI's detailed excavation of the site revealed the size of the lost city and recovered numerous artefacts, some over 5,000 years old. Rakhigarhi was occupied at Early Harappan times.[10][6] Evidence of paved roads, drainage system, large rainwater collection, storage system, terracotta bricks, statue production, and skilled working of bronze and precious metals have been uncovered.[citation needed] Jewellery, including bangles made from terracotta, conch shells, gold, and semi-precious stones, have also been found.[24]

In 1963, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began excavations at this site, and, though little has been published about the excavations.[25][26]

In 1969, Kurukshetra University's team studied and documented the site led by its Dean of Indic studies Dr. Suraj Bhan.[27]

In 1997-98, 1998–99 and 1999-2000, ASI team began to excavate the site again, which was led by its director Dr. Amrender Nath who published his findings in scholarly journals.[27][28] After 2000, excavations were stopped for years because of a CBI investigation on the misuse of funds.[29] Much of the findings are donated to the National Museum, New Delhi.

From 2011-16, Deccan College carried out several substantial excavations led by its then Vice Chancellor and archaeologist Dr. Vasant Shinde, several members of the team published their findings in various academic journals.[30][31]

Dating[edit]

In 2014 six radiocarbon datings from excavations at Rakhigarhi between 1997 and 2000 were published, corresponding to the three periods at the site as per archaeologist Amarendra Nath (Pre-formative, Early Harappan, and Mature Harappan). Mound RGR-6 revealed a Pre-formative stage designated as Sothi Phase with the following two datings: and years before present, converted to B.C.E. and B.C.E.[14]

Discoveries[edit]

A skeleton from Rakhigarhi on display in the National Museum.

Findings confirm both early and mature Harappan phases and include 4,600-year-old human skeletons, fortification and bricks.[9]

Planned city[edit]

Digging so far reveals a well planned city with 1.92 m wide roads, a bit wider than in Kalibangan. The pottery is similar to Kalibangan and Banawali. Pits surrounded by walls have been found, which are thought to be for sacrificial or some religious ceremonies. There are brick lined drains to handle sewage from the houses. Terracotta statues, weights, bronze artifacts, comb, copper fish hooks, needles and terracotta seals have also been found. A bronze vessel has been found which is decorated with gold and silver. A gold foundry with about 3000 unpolished semi-precious stones has been found. Many tools used for polishing these stones and a furnace were found there. A burial site has been found with 11 skeletons, with their heads in the north direction. Near the heads of these skeletons, utensils for everyday use were kept. The three female skeletons have shell bangles on their left wrists. Near one female skeleton, a gold armlet has been found. In addition semi precious stones have been found lying near the head, suggesting that they were part of some sort of necklace.

Granary[edit]

A granary belonging to mature Harappan phase (2600 BCE to 2000 BCE) has been found here. Granary is made up of mud-bricks with a floor of ramped earth plastered with mud. It has 7 rectangular or square chambers. Significant traces of lime & decomposed grass are found on the lower portion of the granary wall indicating that it can also be the storehouse of grains with lime used as insecticide & grass used to prevent entry of moisture. Looking at the size, it appears to be a public granary or a private granary of elites.[32]

Tools[edit]

Hunting tools like copper hafts and fish hooks have been found here. Presence of various toys like mini wheels, miniature lids, sling balls, animal figurines indicates a prevalence of toy culture. Signs of flourishing trade can be seen by the excavation of stamps, jewelry and 'chert' weights. Weights found here are similar to weights found at many other IVC sites confirming presence of standardized weight systems.[33]

Culture, clothing and worship[edit]

Fire altars and apsidal structures were revealed in Rakhigarhi.[7]

Cotton cloth traces preserved on silver or bronze objects were known from Rakhigarhi, Chanhudaro and Harappa.[11]:333 An impressive number of stamps seals were also found at this site.[10]

Cemetery and burial sites[edit]

A cemetery of Mature Harappan period is discovered at Rakhigarhi, with eight graves found. Often brick covered grave pits had wooden coffin in one case.[10] Different type of grave pits were undercut to form an earthen overhang and body was placed below this; and then top of grave was filled with bricks to form a roof structure over the grave.[11]:293

So far 53 burial sites with 46 skeletons have been discovered. Anthropological examination done on 37 skeletons revealed 17 to be of adults, 8 to be of subadults while the age of 12 skeletons could not be verified. Sex detection of 17 skeletons was successful out of which 7 were male and 10 female skeletons. Most of the burials were typical burials with skeletons in a supine position. Atypical burials had skeletons in a prone position. Some graves are just pits while some are brick lined and contain pottery. Some of them also had votive pots with Animal remains symbolizing offerings to the dead. Bone remains of secondary burials were not charred hence ruling out the possibility of cremation practices. While these burials retained many of the Harappan features, group burials and prone position burials are distinct. Paleo-parasitical studies and DNA analysis to determine the lineage is being undertaken.[34][35]

Parasite eggs which were once existed in the stomach of those buried were found in the burial sites along with human skeletons. Analysis of Human aDNA obtained from human bones as well as analysis of parasite and animal DNA will be done to assert origins of these people.[36][37]

Skeleton finds[edit]

In April 2015, four 4,600-year-old complete human skeletons were excavated from mound RGR-7. These skeletons belonged to two male adults, one female adult (classified as 'I6113') and one child.[38] Pottery with grains of food as well as shell bangles were found around these skeletons.[39][9] As the skeletons were excavated scientifically without any contamination, archaeologists think that with the help of latest technology on these skeletons and DNA obtained,[40] it is possible to determine how Harappans looked like 4500 years ago.[41] Shinde et al. (2019) have carried out DNA-tests on a single skeleton. Results announced in September 2018, and a paper published in Cell Magazine in 2019, show that the DNA did not include any traces of steppe ancestry, in line with the Aryan migration theory, which says that Indo-Aryans migrated into India after the Harappan times.[42][43][44][45][46][47][48] The DNA of a male skeleton (classified as 'I4411') shows affinity with present-day South Indian tribal populations,[49] most notably the Irula people.[50] A total of 61 skeletons were found till 2016.

Issues[edit]

Endangered heritage site[edit]

In May 2012, the Global Heritage Fund declared Rakhigarhi one of the ten most endangered heritage sites in Asia facing the threat of irreparable loss and destruction due to development pressures, insufficient management and looting.[5][51] A 2012 study by the Sunday Times found that the site is not being looked after; the iron boundary wall is broken, and villagers sell the artefacts they dig out of the site and parts of site are now being encroached by private houses.[52] Due to the lack of site protection the site is being destroyed by soil erosion, encroachments, illegal sand lifting, theft of archaeological artifacts for illegal sale. It is a punishable crime to sell or buy artifacts found in the ancient sites. 80% of mound 6 – a residential site of Harappan Era and 7 which is a burial site where 4 human skeletons were recovered in 2015 have been destroyed due to cultivation and soil mining.[5]

Site encroachments[edit]

Parts of mounds R4 and R5 have been encroached by the villagers who have built 152 houses.[9] The ASI has only 83.5 acres of the 350-hectare site that entails 11 archaeological mounds, due to encroachments and pending court cases for the removal of the encroachments.[9]

Site development[edit]

Site rehabilitation and preservation[edit]

On February 2020, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the site of Rakhigarhi would be developed as an iconic site.[53] ASI has commenced the plan to remove encroachments from the site, including 152 houses on the R4 and R5 mounds. Villages, whose houses in the site will be removed, will be relocated and rehabilitated in the housing flats on another location.[9]

Site museum[edit]

Rakhigarhi, which is an Indus Valley Civilisation site, also has a museum developed by the state government.[54]

There is also Haryana Rural Antique Museum 60 km away, which is maintained by CCS HAU in its Gandhi Bhawan, exhibits evolution of agriculture and vanishing antiques.[55] Jahaj Kothi Museum, named after George Thomas, is located inside Firoz Shah Palace Complex and maintained by Archaeological Survey of India.[56]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sharma, Rakesh Kumar; Singh, Sukhvir (May 2015). "Harrapan interments at Rakhigarhi" (PDF). International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research (IJIFR). 2 (9): 3403–3409. ISSN 2347-1697. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  2. "We Are All Harappans Outlook India".
  3. Garge, Tejas (2010). "Sothi-Siswal Ceramic Assemblage: A Reappraisal". Ancient Asia. 2: 15. doi:10.5334/aa.10203.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Wright, Rita P. (2009), The Ancient Indus: Urbanism, Economy, and Society, Cambridge University Press, p. 133, ISBN 978-0-521-57219-4, retrieved 29 September 2013 Quote: "There are a large number of settlements to the east on the continuation of the Ghaggar Plain in northwest India. ... Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi, and Banawali are located here. Rakhigarhi was over 100 hectares in size."
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Rakhigarhi site being plundered due to lack of protection, The Tribune India, Apr 16, 2015.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Harappan Surprises". Frontline. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Archaeological Survey of, India. "Indian Archaeology 1997-98" (PDF). Excavation at Rakhigarhi. Archaeological Survey of INdia. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Subramanian, T. S. (27 March 2014). "Rakhigarhi, the biggest Harappan site". The Hindu.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 At Haryana's Harappan site of Rakhigarhi, anxiety trumps history, The Hindu, Feb 27, 2020.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Possehl, Gregory L. (2002). The indus civilization : a contemporary perspective (2. print. ed.). Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. pp. 63, 71, 72. ISBN 9780759101722.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 McIntosh, Jane R. (2008). The ancient Indus Valley : new perspectives. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 293. ISBN 9781576079072.
  12. Wright, Rita P. (2009), The Ancient Indus: Urbanism, Economy, and Society, Cambridge University Press, p. 133, ISBN 978-0-521-57219-4, retrieved 29 September 2013
  13. Census of India, 2011
  14. 14.0 14.1 Nath, Amarendra, Tejas Garge and Randall Law, 2014. Defining the Economic Space of the Harappan Rakhigarhi: An Interface of the Local Subsistance Mechanism and Geological Provenience Studies, in Puratattva 44, Indian Archaeological Society, New Delhi, pp. 84 academia.edu
  15. McIntosh, Jane (2008). The Ancient Indus Valley: New Perspectives. ABC-CLIO. p. 76. ISBN 978-1-57607-907-2.
  16. "Rivers in Ambala, Markanda River Ambala, Tangri River Ambala". www.ambalaonline.in. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  17. Chopra, Sanjeev (25 September 2010). "Overflowing Ghaggar, Tangri inundate some villages along Punjab-Haryana border". The Indian Express. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Possehl, Gregory L. (2002), The Indus Civilization: A Contemporary Perspective, Rowman Altamira, p. 72, ISBN 978-0-7591-0172-2 Quote: "The site is about 17 meters in height. The southern face of the mounds is rather abrupt and steep. The northern side slopes down to the surrounding plain. The contours of the site have led the excavator to divide up the place into five mounds (RGR-1 through 5). RGR-6, a Sothi-Siswal site known as Arda, was probably a separate settlement. I have visited Rakhigarhi and believe that it is 80 hectares in size."
  19. Coningham, Robin; Young, Ruth (2015), The Archaeology of South Asia: From the Indus to Asoka, c.6500 BCE–200 CE, Cambridge University Press, p. 183, ISBN 978-0-521-84697-4 Quote: Mohenjo-daro covered an area of more than 250 hectares, Harappa exceeded 150 hectares, Dholavira 100 hectares and Ganweriwala and Rakhigarhi around 80 hectares each."(p 183)
  20. Heitzman, James (2008), The City in South Asia, Routledge, p. 35, ISBN 978-1-134-28962-2 Quote: "They include Mohenjodaro (with a city core of about 100 hectares, and suburbs possibly covering more than 200 hectares) in Sind; Harappa (more than 150 hectares) in the center of Pakistani Punjab; Dholavira (more than 100 hectares) in Gujarat; Ganweriwala (82 hectares) in Pakistani Punjab near the border with Rajasthan; and Rakhigarhi (between 80 and 105 hectares) in Haryana."
  21. Harappa’s Haryana connect: Time for a museum to link civilisations
  22. Nath, Amarendera; et, al (2015). "Harrapan interments at Rakhigarhi". Man and Environment. XL (2): 11. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  23. "Rakhigarhi, the biggest Harappan site". The Hindu. 27 March 2014.
  24. Chandigarh Newsline, 2/23/2007, 'Rakhigarhi is the Largest Harappan Site Ever Found'
  25. Wright, Rita P. (2009), The Ancient Indus: Urbanism, Economy, and Society, Cambridge University Press, p. 107, ISBN 978-0-521-57219-4 Quote: "Rakhigarhi will be discussed briefly in view of the limited published material" (p 107)
  26. Sinopoli, Carla M. (2015), "Ancient South Asian cities in their regions", in Norman Yoffee (ed.), The Cambridge World History, Cambridge University Press, p. 325, ISBN 978-0-521-19008-4 Quote: "Excavations have also occurred at Rakhigarhi, but only brief notes have been published, and little information is currently available on its form and organization. (page 325)"
  27. 27.0 27.1 Bhartesh Singh Thakur, "Former Archaeological Survey director sentenced to jail for fraud", Hindustan Times, 15 October 2015.
  28. Nath, Amarendra (31 December 2014). "Excavations at Rakhigarhi [1997-98 to 1999-2000]" (PDF). Archaeological Survey of India. Archaeological Survey of India. p. 306. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  29. "Former Archaeological Survey director sentenced to jail for fraud". Hindustan Times. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  30. Dhiman, Kuldip (3 July 2016). "Engulfed in the labyrinths of time". The Tribune.
  31. Shinde, Vasant; Green, Adam; Parmar, Narender; Sable, P. D. (2012–2013). "Rakhigarhi and the Harappan Civilization: Recent Work and New Challenges". Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute. 72/73: 48. JSTOR 43610687.
  32. "Ancient granary found in Haryana". The Hindu. 2 May 2014.
  33. "Dig this! 5,000-yr-old skeletons found in Hisar". Hindustan Times. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015.
  34. "Mysteries of Rakhigarhi's Harappan Necropolis: In burials from 4,000 years ago, women both exalted, condemned". The Indian Express. 26 March 2018.
  35. Shinde, Vasant S.; Kim, Yong Jun; Woo, Eun Jin; Jadhav, Nilesh; Waghmare, Pranjali; Yadav, Yogesh; Munshi, Avradeep; Chatterjee, Malavika; Panyam, Amrithavalli (21 February 2018). "Archaeological and anthropological studies on the Harappan cemetery of Rakhigarhi, India". PLOS ONE. 13 (2): e0192299. Bibcode:2018PLoSO..1392299S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0192299. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 5821334. PMID 29466426.
  36. "Scientists to study parasite eggs in Harappan graves". The Times of India. 12 January 2014.
  37. "Biomedical Studies on Archaeology". 19 February 2014.
  38. "An Ancient Harappan Genome Lacks Ancestry from Steppe Pastoralists or Iranian Farmers" (PDF).
  39. "Dig this! 5,000-yr-old skeletons found in Hisar". Hindustan Times. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015.
  40. "Why Hindutva is Out of Steppe with new discoveries about the Indus Valley people".
  41. "Virtual Harappans to come alive". The Hindu. 3 May 2015.
  42. Shinde, Vasant; Narasimhan, Vagheesh M.; Rohland, Nadin; Mallick, Swapan; Mah, Matthew; Lipson, Mark; Nakatsuka, Nathan; Adamski, Nicole; Broomandkhoshbacht, Nasreen; Ferry, Matthew; Lawson, Ann Marie (17 October 2019). "An Ancient Harappan Genome Lacks Ancestry from Steppe Pastoralists or Iranian Farmers". Cell. 179 (3): 729–735.e10. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2019.08.048. ISSN 0092-8674. PMC 6800651. PMID 31495572.
  43. Joseph, Tony (13 September 2019). "New reports clearly confirm 'Arya' migration into India". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  44. "4500-year-old DNA from Rakhigarhi reveals evidence that will unsettle Hindutva nationalists". India Today. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  45. Bal, Hartosh Singh. "What media reporting on ancient DNA results says about our times". The Caravan. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  46. Mahalakshmi, R. "DNA analysis of Harappan skeleton from Rakhigarhi: Thin evidence". Frontline. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  47. "Scientists Part of Studies Supporting Aryan Migration Endorse Party Line Instead". The Wire. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  48. Das, Biplab (September 2019). "Where did the Indus Valley people come from?". Nature India. doi:10.1038/nindia.2019.121 (inactive 31 May 2021). Retrieved 17 April 2020. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |lay-url= ignored (help)CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of May 2021 (link)
  49. "Supplementary Materials for The formation of human populations in South and Central Asia" (PDF). pp. 307–308.
  50. "Supplementary Materials for The formation of human populations in South and Central Asia" (PDF). p. 209.
  51. "Rakhigarhi likely to be developed into a world heritage site". India Today. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  52. Archana, Khare Ghose (3 June 2012). "Can Rakhigarhi, the largest Indus Valley Civilisation site be saved?". Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  53. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/rakhigarhi-to-be-developed-as-iconic-site-34808/
  54. Harappan museum at Rakhigarhi
  55. "Gazetteer of India Haryana, Hisar" (PDF). revenueharyana.gov.in. Government OF Haryana. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  56. Jahaj Kothi museum

External links[edit]

Template:Indus Valley Civilization