Discovery at the Edge of the Himalayas
High in India’s Uttarakhand Himalayas, at an altitude of 5,020 meters, lies Roopkund, also called Skeleton Lake. Surrounded by snow-clad peaks, the small glacial lake gained worldwide attention when hundreds of human skeletons were found at its edge, visible when the ice melts each summer.
The 1942 Rediscovery
Although locals were aware of the remains, the skeletons were officially rediscovered in 1942 by forest ranger Hari Kishan Madhwal. British authorities initially feared they might be evidence of a Japanese invasion during World War II, but examination quickly revealed they were far older.
Alongside the skeletons, researchers found wooden artifacts, iron spearheads, leather slippers, and rings, hinting at the diverse origins of those who died here.
Two Separate Events, Three Distinct Groups
Initial theories suggested a single catastrophic incident, possibly a hailstorm in the 9th century. However, radiocarbon dating and a 2019 genome-wide study of 38 individuals uncovered a more complex story. The findings revealed three distinct groups:
- 23 individuals dated to around 800 CE, with typical South Asian ancestry
- 14 individuals dated to around 1800 CE, with eastern Mediterranean ancestry, including links to present-day Greece and Crete
- 1 individual dated to 1800 CE from Southeast Asia
These results showed that Roopkund saw at least two separate mass death events, separated by about a thousand years. The older remains were deposited gradually, while the later ones seem to have resulted from a single occurrence.
Preservation and Ongoing Mystery
When National Geographic examined the site in 2003, they retrieved about 30 skeletons, some still with flesh intact, preserved by the ice.
Studies of several skulls revealed severe head injuries caused by round objects falling from above, supporting the hailstorm theory for at least some of the deaths. Despite decades of research, the full circumstances behind the presence of Mediterranean individuals in 19th-century Roopkund remain unexplained.
Today, concerns over conservation have grown. Tourists have taken bones as souvenirs, threatening the preservation of this unique site.
Local authorities have urged stricter protection measures to safeguard the remains. With over 300 individuals found so far, Roopkund continues to attract scientists, historians, and trekkers, yet many questions about the lake’s mysterious dead remain unanswered.
High in Uttarakhand, India, at 5,020 m, Roopkund—Skeleton Lake—holds hundreds of human bones.
Each thaw reveals skulls and limbs in its three-metre-deep water.
What happened here spans a thousand years and two mass death events…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/besuc5sOKF
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) August 28, 2025