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4,500-Year-Old 'Harappan Master of the Royal Wood-Carvers' Archive and Intact Clay Joinery Blueprints Uncovered at Rakhigarhi

📅 April 12, 2026 📰 Archaeology World Report
4,500-Year-Old 'Harappan Master of the Royal Wood-Carvers' Archive and Intact Clay Joinery Blueprints Uncovered at Rakhigarhi

Archaeologists at the sprawling site of Rakhigarhi have unearthed a specialized administrative quarter belonging to a high-ranking official designated as the Master of the Royal Wood-Carvers. This discovery is unprecedented, as it provides the first direct evidence of how the Indus Valley Civilization managed its large-scale timber construction and ornamental woodworking industries. The archive contains over fifty terracotta tablets featuring unique seal impressions that depict intricate furniture designs and structural beam layouts.

Among the most remarkable finds are a series of intact clay blueprints that illustrate sophisticated joinery techniques, including early versions of mortise and tenon joints. These models suggest that Harappan architects utilized standardized templates for the construction of massive wooden superstructures that once stood atop the city's brick foundations. The presence of specialized copper chisels and carbonized fragments of Himalayan cedar further confirms the site's role as a primary hub for high-status timber craftsmanship.

Original source: Archaeology World Report