Buried Narratives and Unearthed Identities: A Bioanthropological Study of Human Skeletal Remains from Sakas, Bihar

The present book tries to reconstruct the lives of ancient communities through the systematic study of their skeletal remains. The book presents a systematic anthropological investigation of human skeletal remains excavated from the site of Sakas, district Sasaram (Rohtas), Bihar, during 2018-2019.

The cultural sequences unearthed at Sakas are Neolithic, Neolithic-Chalcolithic and Chalcolithic. It examines multiple parameters, including the in-situ burial arrangements, demographic profiles, metric analysis, skeletal morphology, and palaeopathological markers. The analysis yielded significant insights into dietary habits, morphological variations, and indicators of habitual stress. Evidence of congenital conditions and degenerative pathologies suggests patterns of physically intensive labour and repetitive biomechanical stress. One of the study's most notable discoveries was the identification of ischial bursitis (Weaver’s Bottom) in two individuals – an atypical condition within archaeological contexts, as this is reported for the first time in the Indian context and is likely indicative of prolonged seated activities or chronic pressure on the ischial region. Overall, the study provides a nuanced understanding of the health, lifestyle, and labour patterns of the people residing in the region, offering valuable contributions to the bioarchaeological record of ancient India. This book is the product of an interdisciplinary effort drawing upon archaeology and bioarchaeology.