Unlocking the Enigmas of an Ancient Indian Mass Graveyard

 

                           Scientists estimate the presence of at least 500 graves at the 40-acre burial site in Gujarat

M.Aminur Rahman.

Researchers have made a remarkable discovery in India, unearthing an extensive burial site linked to one of the world's earliest urban civilizations. This archaeological revelation offers valuable insights into the lives and deaths of early Indians.

Back in 2019, as a team of researchers began excavating a sandy hill near a remote village in the sparsely populated Kutch region, located close to Pakistan in India's western state of Gujarat, they initially believed they were uncovering an ancient settlement. However, within a week, they realized they had stumbled upon a burial ground, according to Rajesh SV, a paleontologist from the University of Kerala, who led the excavation.

Over the course of three excavation seasons, involving more than 150 Indian and international researchers, they have explored a 40-acre site estimated to contain around 500 graves of the Indus civilization, one of the earliest urban civilizations worldwide. (Nearly 200 of these graves have been excavated.)

Also known as the Harappan civilization, named after its most prominent city, this society consisted of skilled farmers and traders who inhabited walled, brick-made cities. It rose to prominence nearly five millennia ago in what is now northwest India and Pakistan. In the century since its initial discovery, researchers have identified up to 2,000 sites in India and Pakistan associated with this civilization.

Excavations so far have yielded an intact male human skeleton

The sprawling graveyard near Khatiya village in Gujarat is believed to be possibly the largest "pre-urban" burial ground associated with the Indus civilization uncovered to date. Researchers suggest it was in use for approximately 500 years, spanning from 3200 BC to 2600 BC, with the oldest graves dating back around 5,200 years.

So far, excavations have yielded a well-preserved male human skeleton and partially preserved skeletal remains, including skull fragments, bones, and teeth. Additionally, burial artifacts have been discovered, such as more than 100 bangles and 27 shell beads. Ceramic vessels, bowls, dishes, pots, small pitchers, receptacles, clay pots, water cups, jars, and containers have also been found. Among the treasures are beads made from the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli.

The graves exhibit unique characteristics, including sandstone-lined burial pits oriented in various directions, some oval-shaped and others rectangular. Smaller graves containing the remains of children have been identified. Most of the bodies appear to have been laid flat, though many bones have decomposed due to the acidic soil.

Brad Chase, a professor of anthropology at Albion College, Michigan, considers this discovery to be of immense significance. He notes that while some pre-urban graveyards have been found in Gujarat, this one is the largest and has the potential to reveal a greater variety of burial types, providing a deeper understanding of pre-urban culture in the region and context for smaller burial grounds discovered previously.

                                Scientists have found an array of burial artifacts in the graves

Previous excavations of Indus sites in Pakistan's Punjab region have offered some insights into the burial practices of the Indus people. Their funerals were modest, unlike the elaborate burials of elites in Egypt and Mesopotamia. The deceased were typically wrapped in cloth and placed in rectangular wooden coffins. Ceramics were often placed in the grave pit as offerings before the coffin was lowered in. Some individuals were buried with personal ornaments like bangles, beads, and pendants. Certain women were even buried with copper mirrors. Adults were often interred with various types of vessels used for serving and storing food, along with specific ornaments like shell bangles, which were commonly found on the left arms of adult females. Infants and children were typically not buried with ceramics or ornaments.

The graves did not contain evidence of significant wealth, and the health profiles of the individuals suggest that most were well-nourished and healthy, although some displayed signs of arthritis and physical stress.

However, the mystery surrounding the massive cemetery in Gujarat remains. Researchers stumbled upon it by chance in 2016 when a village headman, who also worked as a driver, showed a group of University of Kerala paleontology students the site. It was located a mere 300 meters from Khatiya, a small village of 400 people known for rain-fed farming of groundnuts, cotton, and castor. Some of their farms bordered the cemetery.

The discovery has since attracted researchers from around the world to the village, all eager to learn more about the people buried at this site and its significance.

The recent graves in Gujarat raise many questions. Was this cemetery a shared resting place for nearby settlements, or does it suggest the presence of a larger settlement in the vicinity? Could it have served as a sacred burial ground for migratory travelers, given that the nearest source of lapis lazuli found in these graves likely traces back to distant Afghanistan? Alternatively, could it have functioned as a "secondary" burial site, where bones from the deceased were interred separately?

                       The graves have sandstone-lined burial shafts that point in different directions

Abhayan GS, an archaeologist at the University of Kerala, admits that they still lack answers. No settlement has been found in the area yet, but excavation continues.

Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, a researcher of the Indus Valley civilization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, believes that there must be settlements associated with the graveyard, possibly lying beneath modern residences or yet to be discovered. The presence of stone walls around the burials suggests that the people had expertise in working with stone, and such stone structures and walled settlements are believed to be located between 19-30 kilometers (11-18 miles) from the burial ground.

Further chemical analyses and DNA testing of the human remains may reveal more about the lives and deaths of the earliest inhabitants of this region.

                      Up to 800 Indus sites have been found in Gujarat, including this one in Dholavira

Mysteries surrounding the Indus civilization persist, such as the undeciphered script. This winter, researchers plan to excavate a site north of the cemetery near Khatiya in hopes of uncovering a potential settlement. If they find one, it may solve part of the puzzle. If not, the excavation will continue. As Rajesh SV remarks, "One day, hopefully sooner rather than later, we will have some answers."

Photo collected from BBC News.