Uttar Pradesh village could have possible Harappan link

When brick kiln workers stumbled upon human skeletal remains at Chandayan village, some 100 km from Delhi, no one had any inkling that it could be the first habitation from the later phase of Harappan civilisation to be found in the state.

"It was a chance discovery when some labourers found a skeleton with copper crown on his head while digging mud for bricks," Superintending Archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) A K Pandey told PTI.

"This is for the first time that a habitation of late Harappan era has been found in the state...though a burial ground was found in Sinauli in the past," he said.

The crown is a thin strip of copper with two leaves of the metal and a Carnelian bead - a semi-precious stone typical of the remains found at other Harappan sites.

"The crown indicates the skeleton was probably that of a local chieftain or village head. We have discovered terracotta pottery too. But these are crudely crafted and not of very fine quality," Pandey said.

ASI then began extensive exploration of the site in the second half of last year in Baraut tehsil of Baghpat district on the plains of river Hindon, he said.