An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c20.s2.4

v1.c20.s2.4

Of the sites of the Indus civilization, the Chanhu-daro skulls (Krogman and Sessaman, 1943) were dolichocranial, representing a Proto-Mediterranean type in which ancestral Negroid traits manifested themselves. One group at Mohenjo-daro was of a moderate stature with a long head, a narrow prominent nose and a long face but not physically very strong. The second group was a long-headed type, very powerfully built and with a tall stature, stout eye-brow ridges and large brains. An enormous development of postauricular part of the skull was a characteristic feature. The third identified group was broad-headed, with a high cranial vault, prominent nose and flat or round shape of the occiput. (Sewell and Guha, 1931.) The population belonging to the mature Harappa culture at Harappa (Cemetery R 37) was long-headed. One type was tall, rugged and sturdily built, having pronounced eye-brow ridges, a receding forehead and broad nose with depressed root; the other was gracile, comparatively short and of weak type. The population of the later Cemetery H consisted of these types in addition to a rather tall, large and round-headed type. In the later stratum of Cemetery H, besides the long-headed and round-headed types, another medium-statured, small- and medium-headed, low-faced type was found. (Gupta *et al.*, 1962.) The LOTHAL skulls show similarity with those discovered at Sialk. Cranial indices vary between hyperdolicho to hyperbrachy. The nose shape varied from very fine to very broad. The shape of the superior face varied between hyperlepton to hypereuren. The stature varied from below medium to very tall. (Rao, 1973.)