When archaeologists excavating one of the largest urban centres of the Harappan civilisation uncovered fragile human remains at Rakhigarhi in Haryana earlier this year, the challenge extended beyond excavation. Recovering skeletons that had remained buried for nearly 4,000 years without damaging them required a highly specialised process that is rarely addressed in conventional archaeological training.

To undertake the task, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) called Tahir Hussain, a 49-year-old toolmaker from Sinauli village in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district. Although he has no formal academic training in archaeology, Hussain has developed a reputation within archaeological circles for his ability to lift ancient burials and fragile antiquities from excavation sites without compromising their integrity.

The assignment at Rakhigarhi involved several Harappan-era burials discovered during ongoing excavations. Archaeologists identified four skeletons that were sufficiently intact for preservation and scientific study. The remains were intended for transfer to the Anthropological Survey of India in Kolkata, where further analysis could contribute to understanding the origins, health, mobility and biological history of one of the world’s earliest urban civilisations.

According to excavation director Manoj Saxena, Hussain and his team were invited because of their experience handling delicate skeletal remains recovered from archaeological sites.

“We called Hussain and his team to lift the skeletons so they could be sent for further study. They have undertaken this type of work before and understand the process,” Saxena said.

The operation highlighted a lesser-known aspect of archaeological practice in India. While excavations are led by trained archaeologists and conservators, many technical challenges encountered in the field are often addressed with the assistance of craftsmen, mechanics, carpenters and local specialists whose expertise has been developed through experience rather than formal academic training.

Hussain’s four-member team reflects that model. The group combines skills in toolmaking, carpentry, metal fabrication and excavation support. Their collective experience has been built over two decades through participation in some of India’s most significant archaeological discoveries.

The Rakhigarhi excavation presented particular difficulties because of local soil conditions. Located near ancient channels of the Drishadvati River, the site contains loose and sandy deposits that offer limited structural support to buried remains. Such conditions increase the risk of damage during recovery.

Before beginning the lifting process, Hussain and his team assessed soil stability and determined the dimensions of support structures required for each burial. The exposed surfaces of the skeletons were protected using bubble sheets and reinforced with layers of Plaster of Paris. After carefully removing surrounding soil, additional support was provided using jute sacks and plaster reinforcement.

The burial blocks were then gradually elevated using mechanical jacks while stabilisation work continued underneath. Once secured, cranes lifted the reinforced structures for transportation, allowing the skeletons to remain undisturbed within their original soil matrix.

“Our objective is always to recover an antiquity without causing damage,” archaeologist Deepak Kumar said. “It is an extremely delicate process that requires patience and precision.”

For Hussain, archaeology emerged not through formal education but through personal curiosity. A graduate in English literature from Chaudhary Charan Singh University in Meerut, he grew up in a family of toolmakers in Sinauli, years before the village gained international attention for its archaeological significance.

He recalls developing an interest in excavation techniques after watching a scene in the 1993 film Jurassic Park, where scientists carefully uncovered a dinosaur skeleton using brushes. The image remained with him and encouraged a lifelong fascination with archaeology and ancient civilisations.

That interest deepened through visits to Delhi’s National Museum, where he studied artefacts from the Harappan civilisation and other ancient cultures. In 2004, when pottery fragments and skeletal remains were reportedly discovered in fields near Sinauli, Hussain immediately recognised similarities with artefacts he had previously seen in museum collections.

The discovery prompted him to alert local media and subsequently contact archaeologists. His efforts contributed to professional attention being directed toward the site. A year later, the ASI launched excavations at Sinauli under archaeologist D.V. Sharma.

During that excavation, Hussain initially worked as a labourer. However, his background in toolmaking soon attracted attention. Archaeologists requested specialised implements capable of meeting excavation requirements, and Hussain began designing custom tools for fieldwork.

The relationship evolved steadily. Over time, he developed a range of excavation instruments including scrapers, measuring scales, specialised nails and precision cutting tools. Today, ASI circles across India regularly approach him for equipment designed specifically for archaeological work.

According to Hussain, requests have come from ASI offices in Hyderabad, Nagpur, Kolkata and Aurangabad, while academic institutions including Banaras Hindu University and Deccan College have also sought his assistance. He has additionally supplied equipment used in underwater archaeological explorations associated with investigations around Dwarka.

His reputation expanded significantly following renewed excavations at Sinauli in 2018. Those excavations yielded high-profile discoveries including burials, copper artefacts, coffins and chariot-like vehicles dating to the second millennium BCE.

Once again, Hussain’s team was tasked with recovering fragile burials. Archaeologists involved in the project described the lifting process as unprecedented because of the need to preserve entire burial structures rather than dismantle them in situ.

Archaeologist Sanjay Manjul later noted that innovative reinforcement techniques were developed to stabilise the burials before removal. The operation established procedures that would subsequently be applied at other excavation sites.

Recognition followed. In 2018, archaeologists Sanjay Manjul and V.N. Prabhakar issued a formal letter of appreciation acknowledging Hussain’s contribution to archaeological fieldwork and tool development. The letter praised both the quality of his equipment and his ability to modify tools according to excavation requirements.

His workshop in Baraut has since become a destination for archaeologists and historians interested in understanding the practical side of excavation work. Scholars including historians Nayanjot Lahiri and Upinder Singh have visited the facility to learn more about the intersection between craftsmanship and archaeology.

Despite growing recognition, Hussain continues to operate from the same workshop where he manufactures tools and prepares for new assignments. Shortly before leaving Rakhigarhi, he received another request linked to a separate Harappan site.

His role underscores the often-overlooked contribution of local expertise to archaeological research. While archaeologists interpret discoveries and reconstruct ancient histories, specialists such as Hussain help ensure that fragile evidence survives long enough to be studied.

As excavations continue across India’s major archaeological sites, the recovery of ancient human remains increasingly depends on the combination of scientific methods and practical craftsmanship. In that intersection, a toolmaker from western Uttar Pradesh has become an indispensable figure in preserving some of the country’s oldest archaeological records.