Rapid Fire
Tracing Roots of Ancient Indians
- 17 Oct 2024
- 1 min read
Recently, the Indian government has undertaken a scientific study using ancient and modern genomics to determine the population history of South Asia.
- Project Name: “Reconstruction of the population history of South Asia using ancient and modern genomics”. It is anticipated to be completed by December 2025.
- Conducting Agency: The study is conducted by the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) under the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow.
- Study Mechanism: It will analyse 300 ancient skeletal remains, including teeth, from various archaeological sites in India and Pakistan.
- It will help uncover clues about ancient diets, living conditions, disease prevalence, environmental adaptation, and migration patterns.
- Archaeological Sites Involved: Remains were collected from excavations sites such as Harappa and Mohenjodaro, Burzahom (J&K), Nagarjunakonda (Andhra Pradesh), Maski (Karnataka), Ropar (Punjab) and Lothal (Gujarat).
- They were excavated between 1922 and 1958 by the Archaeological Survey of India and later entrusted to the AnSI, which now serves as their custodian.
Read More: Genome India Project
