By 2020, only 5% of the site had been excavated by the ASI and Deccan College. In 1969,
Kurukshetra University's team studied and documented the site led by its Dean of Indic studies Dr.
Suraj Bhan. After 2000, excavations were stopped for years because of a
CBI investigation on the misuse of funds. Much of the findings are donated to the National Museum, New Delhi. From 2011 to 2016,
Deccan College carried out several substantial excavations led by its then Vice-Chancellor and archaeologist Dr. Vasant Shinde, several members of the team published their findings in various academic journals. From 2021 onward, more excavation by ASI commenced.
Central University of Haryana and Dr Vasant Shinde also expressed interest in commencing excavation.
Discoveries . Findings confirm both early and mature Harappan phases and include 4,600-year-old human skeletons, fortification and bricks. Evidence of paved roads, drainage system, large rainwater collection, storage system,
terracotta bricks, statue production, and skilled working of
bronze and precious metals have been uncovered. Jewellery, including bangles made from terracotta,
conch shells, gold, and semi-precious stones, have also been found. Digging so far reveals a well planned city with 1.92 m wide roads, a bit wider than in
Kalibangan. The pottery is similar to Kalibangan and
Banawali. Pits surrounded by walls have been found, which are thought to be for sacrificial or some religious ceremonies. There are brick lined drains to handle sewage from the houses. Terracotta statues, weights, bronze artefacts, comb, copper fish hooks, needles and terracotta seals have also been found. A bronze vessel has been found which is decorated with gold and silver. A gold foundry with about 3000 unpolished semi-precious stones has been found. Many tools used for polishing these stones and a furnace were found there. A burial site has been found with 11 skeletons, with their heads in the north direction. Near the heads of these skeletons, utensils for everyday use were kept. The three female skeletons have shell bangles on their left wrists. Near one female skeleton, a gold armlet has been found. In addition semi precious stones have been found lying near the head, suggesting that they were part of some sort of necklace.
Granary A granary belonging to mature Harappan phase (2600 BCE to 2000 BCE) has been found here. Granary is made up of mud-bricks with a floor of ramped earth plastered with mud. It has 7 rectangular or square chambers. Significant traces of lime & decomposed grass are found on the lower portion of the granary wall indicating that it can also be the storehouse of grains with lime used as insecticide and grass used to prevent entry of moisture. Looking at the size, it appears to be a public granary or a private granary of elites.
Tools Hunting tools like copper hafts and fish hooks have been found here. Presence of various toys like mini wheels, miniature lids, sling balls, animal figurines indicates a prevalence of toy culture. Signs of flourishing trade can be seen by the excavation of stamps, jewellery and 'chert' weights. Weights found here are similar to weights found at many other IVC sites confirming presence of standardised weight systems.
Culture, clothing and worship Fire altars and
apsidal structures were revealed in Rakhigarhi. Parasite eggs which were once existed in the stomach of those buried were found in the burial sites along with human skeletons. Analysis of Human
aDNA obtained from human bones as well as analysis of parasite and animal DNA will be done to assert origins of these people.
Skeleton finds In April 2015, four 4,600-year-old complete human skeletons were excavated from mound RGR-7. These skeletons belonged to two male adults, one female adult (classified as 'I6113') and one child. Pottery with grains of food as well as shell bangles were found around these skeletons. The male was tall and female was . Their skeleton had no abnormalities, injuries or sign of disease. They were both likely
"quite healthy" at the time of their death. Shinde et al. (2019) have carried out DNA-tests on a single skeleton. Results announced in September 2018, and a paper published in
Cell Magazine in 2019, show that the DNA did not include any traces of steppe ancestry, which is in line with the
Aryan migration theory, which says that Indo-Aryans migrated to India from the steppes after the Harappan civilisation had started to disintegrate. A total of 61 skeletons were found till 2016. As the skeletons were excavated scientifically without any contamination, archaeologists think that with the help of latest technology on these skeletons and DNA obtained, it is possible to determine how Harappans looked like 4500 years ago. In 2024, the 'Mound 7' of the excavation site, which encompasses an area of 3.5 sqkms, yielded 56 skeletons.
Criticism The conduct of digs by the
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), including at Rakhigarhi, has come under criticism for being like a "
zamindari" system wherein "the individual excavation director" "had nearly dictatorial control over the material excavated", and questions are being raised about the scientific quality of the ASI's excavations of a number of Harappan sites. Scholarly interpretation of Rakhigarhi, as with a number of other archaeological sites of ancient India, has been subject to contestation regarding the methodologies and ideology of the ASI: many senior officials of the ASI have been "embroiled in controversies" over pseudo-"scientific" efforts to legitimise the
Hindutva ideology which identifies the ancient Harappans (incorrectly) with the
Vedas and
Sanskrit, in order to synthesize the nationalist narrative of Indian civilisation as indigenous and continuous since its beginning,
allegedly originating from the banks of the
Saraswati River (rather than the Indus). == Site conservation and development==