Rakhigarhi : New Study
A reservoir unearthed recently in Haryana’s Rakhigarhi is not just a marvel of Harappan engineering but also advances evolving research on the Saraswati River.
- Rakhigarhi is an archaeological site located in Hisar district, Haryana, in the Ghaggar-Hakra river plain.
- It is one of the oldest and largest cities of the India’s earliest known Bronze Age urban culture, the Indus Valley or Harappan Civilization.
- It is the largest Indus Valley site.
- The site was first discovered in the 1960s by the Archeological Survey of India.
- The exploration around this site has clearly identified seven archaeological mounds spread over an area of approximately 350 ha.
- It primarily yields evidence of occupation during the Early and Mature Harappan periods, with the site being completely abandoned during the Late Harappan period.
- The archaeological excavations revealed the mature Harappan phase, represented by a planned township with mud-brick as well as burnt-brick houses with a proper drainage system.
- The ceramic industry is represented by red ware, which included dish-on-stand, vase, jar, bowl, beaker, perforated jar, goblet, and handis.
- Animal sacrificial pits lined with mud bricks and triangular and circular fire alters on the mud floor have also been excavated, that signifies the ritual system of the 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.
- Other antiquities include blades; terracotta and shell bangles; beads of semi-precious stones, terracotta, shell and copper objects; animal figurines, toy cart frame and wheel of terracotta; bone points; inscribed steatite seals, and sealings.
- The excavations have yielded a few extended burials, which certainly belong to a very late stage, maybe the medieval times.
- It is also well-known as the site which has yielded the only DNA evidence from the Harappan era.
