Faces of a lost civilisation: Rakhigarhi skeletons to undergo DNA, facial reconstruction studies

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sent nearly 5,000-year-old skeletons unearthed at Haryana's Rakhigarhi site for scientific examination and facial reconstruction. Four skeletons were sent to the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) in Kolkata, while DNA samples from one skeleton have been forwarded to the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow. The research aims to determine the cause of death, ancestry, height, physical features, and social status of the individuals. The excavation also yielded an unprecedented number of burial offerings, indicating the importance of the deceased in their community.