Featured Pakistan: The Archaeological Marvel

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Takht-I-Bhai (archaeological site of an ancient Buddhist monastery)

It was first a Zoarastrian complex.

 

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Left: Scythian devotee

Right: The Bajaur casket, also called the Indravarma reliquary, year 63, or sometimes referred to as the Avaca inscription, is an ancient reliquary from the area of Bajaur in ancient Gandhara, in the present-day Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It is dated to around 5-6 AD and It proves the involvement of the Scythian kings of the Apraca, in particular King Indravarman, in Buddhism.

 

[Kambojaric]

Intl workshop on ‘Lahore Fort Picture Wall’ to begin on Jan 15

LAHORE: A three-day international workshop will be held at the Lahore Fort from January 15 to 17 to highlight the cause for the conservation of the 1,450-feet long and 50-feet high picture wall outside the fort that comprises of some of the best specimens of decorative glazed tile and wall painting in the region.

A prototype preservation was carried over a 45-feet high and 30-feet wide panel on the western segment of the picture wall by Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA). The project engaged experts from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France and Sri Lanka. The preservation process was started in 2016 and completed in December 2017. The three-day workshop was held as a follow-up on the prototype.

The picture wall reflected the highest standards of17th-century Mughal period craftsmanship and was one of the key reasons for the addition of the Lahore Fort to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. The Punjab government, AKTC and WCLA were jointly holding this event, which would bring together national and international experts from various disciplines, including conservation, architecture, engineering, material sciences, history, archaeology, planning, anthropology, and heritage enthusiasts. Notable policy makers, federal and provincial government departments, as well as key donor representatives would also attend the workshop.

The purpose of this collaborative effort was to review the work carried out on the prototype on a panel of the picture wall and to generate professional discussion on a framework for further intervention. After the conclusion of the workshop, work on the remaining wall would be started by WCLA and Aga Khan Cultural Service-Pakistan (AKCSP) with the agreement of all experts.

AKCSP CEO Salman Beg said that they had carried out preliminary documentation of the picture wall in 2015-2017 as part of the larger Lahore Fort Conservation Project. In November 2016, AKTC and AKCSP organised a preliminary workshop to review the documentation process and to deliberate upon the stages of work to be included in developing the prototype of the 45-feet high and 30-feet wide panel on the western segment of the wall.

The selected panel reflected all types of surface decorations found on the wall. Work on the prototype was carried out between February and December of 2017 and included six international missions to Lahore, comprising of microbiologists, surface conservators and material scientists from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France and Sri Lanka. In reviewing the prototype panel, the current workshop aimed to facilitate a dialogue on the way forward.

WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari said that this was a big initiative in which AKCSP had helped WCLA with their expertise and technicalities. This project would not have been possible without them, he added. He also said that all the methodologies and techniques used in this process were according to international standards, keeping in view the sensitivity of the World Heritage Site.

It is important to mention here that the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany contributed a generous grant assistance for the prototype conservation of the panel. Prior documentation work was made possible with financial support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/20...-lahore-fort-picture-wall-to-begin-on-jan-15/

 

[Kambojaric]

Five archaeological sites tracing back to 2500-2000 BC unearthed in Saham; oldest finds in northern Oman

Muscat -
Five archaeological sites dating back to the Umm al Nar era between 2500 and 2000 BC have been unearthed in the wilayat of Saham. These sites are considered to be the oldest archaeological finds in northern sultanate.

Archaeological finds at the sites reveal it to be a settlement and full of cemeteries dating back to the Umm al Nar era. The sites are located at Dahwa, Wadi al Sukhn and Al Thaqibah, 26km to the west of Saham on the northern plains of Al Hajar al Gharbi mountains.

They were unearthed by the Archaeology Department of the College of Arts and Social Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). The excavations began at these sites in 2010.

Dr Khaled Douglas, head of the Archaeology Department, SQU, said that the excavations and study of artefacts reveal that potteries and stone tools unearthed from the sites have close connection with Sindh, Mesopotamia and Iran civilisations. “The survey further points out that settlers at the sites were engaged in copper smelting and trading.”

The explorations also unearthed a number of cemeteries, which reveal that the dead were buried in group cemeteries built from white sandstone.

Also, the team has discovered a building that goes back to Bronze Age.

It is believed that the place of manufacture of the pottery found in Dahwa is located in the central region of the Sindh valley in Pakistan, specifically the Mohenjo Daro region, where archaeologists found the largest city in the world dating back to the early Bronze Age (2500-2000 BC).

Archaeologists also believe that these pottery were used to transport some products from the Indus Valley by small boats across the Indus River to the shores of the Arabian Sea. They were transported by larger boats to a port near the wilayat of Saham and then were carried on shoulders for 24km inwards through the edges of the Al Hajar Mountains to the Dahwa area.

The strong presence of Sindh pottery in Dahwa indicates the extent of trade activity that prevailed between Oman and Sindh during the early Bronze Age.

The nature of the materials that were imported from Sindh and transported in these jars has not yet been identified. Oman was famous for the export of copper to Sindh, Mesopotamia and Iran during the period of Umm al Nar.

http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/...d-in-Saham-oldest-finds-in-northern-Oman-569j

 

[Kambojaric]

Preserving Pakistan’s archeological heritage
Italian archaeologist Luca Maria Olivieri and his team restored a 7th-century rock carving of Buddha blown off by the Taliban in Pakistan’s Swat Valley

It is one of the most prominent symbols of Pakistan’s Buddhist heritage — a giant 7th-century rock sculpture of Buddha sitting in a meditative pose in Jahanabad, Swat. It’s an image of peaceful contemplation far removed from the hustle and bustle of modern urban life.

That peace was shattered on September 2007 when the Taliban blew up half of the sculpture’s face by drilling holes and putting explosives in it. It takes only a few minutes (and little skill) to carry out such an act of wanton destruction. But to fix it requires years of patience and devotion. In 2012, the Italian Archaeological Mission in Swat started the restoration of Buddha’s face. The process lasted a few years and was eventually completed in October 2016.

“The entire face was damaged by two blasts,” says Dr Luca Maria Olivieri (right), the director of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan. “We collected all the available fragments and with the help of 3D technology, we were able to reconstruct the original volumes.”

The reconstruction of the Jahanabad Buddha is just one of many accomplishments of the mission, whose work in Swat spans more than six decades.

“If you consider that the Italian mission has been present... working here practically without interruption for more than 60 years, you can imagine what is the magnitude of the fieldwork that we did. And how many people were involved in total,” Olivieri says.

The first time he came to Swat was in 1987 when he was 25 years old and still a university student.

Olivieri — who always wanted to be an archaeologist — graduated from Rome University and did his PhD in Berlin. Before coming to Swat, he participated in many excavations in Rome on the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. “As soon as I put my feet on the soil of Swat, I remember that I crossed my fingers, hoping that they would call me back again because I immediately fell in love with Swat,” he says.

The 7th-century-old Buddha rock-carving in Jahanabad after restoration

Swat used to be an autonomous political entity until 1969 when it merged into Pakistan. When Olivieri arrived in 1987, there were still traces from this past era.

“Swat was everything,” he tells Weekend Review. “People, landscape... You know when I say I fell in love with Swat, is there a reason for a man to be in love with a woman? It is something very intimate. Something you feel. It is difficult to explain.”

In fact, even before travelling to Swat, he felt a connection with Pakistan. “I was amongst the very few Italians playing field hockey. I remember when I was very young, 14 or 15 years old, I was playing hockey in Italy. It was impossible without having in the mind the great Pakistani field hockey team. One of the trainers in my team was a Pakistani guy. So all the hockey sticks we had were produced in Pakistan, from Sialkot.”

The rock carving before restoration

In Swat, his mentor was Domenico Faccenna, considered to be one of the founders of Buddhist archaeology in Pakistan. Faccenna had worked in Pakistan since the 1950s after being initiated by a famous orientalist, Giuseppe Tucci. The story of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan starts with him.

“[Tucci] was busy during the 1930s and early 40s exploring Tibet,” says Olivieri. “He was one of the most important explorers of that part of Asia. During the 1950s, after the Second World War, he became interested in how Buddhism arrived in Tibet. The Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism introduced in Tibet around the 7th and 8th centuries originally spread from Swat.”

Swat was at the time known as Uddiyana in the Buddhist world, especially in Trans-Himalayas. It was considered by Buddhist schools in Tibet and China as the motherland of Buddhism.

Dr Olivieri writing notes during excavations of Achaemenid layers at Barikot

“There was a flow of pilgrims coming back to Uddiyana and visiting this sort of sacred land. Since the early times of Buddhism, even before Buddhism was introduced into Tibet, the first monks who visited Swat were Chinese. Faxian and Xuanzang are the most famous,” Olivieri says.

“Tucci, during the exploration of one Tibetan library in a Buddhist monastery, found the travel log of three Tibetan pilgrims. He published these travel logs in 1940 in Calcutta [now Kolkata]. And then immediately after the Second World War he made a very important survey of the Swat valley,” he says.

In 1955, Tucci established the Italian Archaeological Mission in Swat to explore the origins of Buddhism.

From the beginning the Italian mission was busy with archaeological excavations at Buddhist sites. The most famous one was in Butkara, an ancient monastery very well known in Tibetan and Chinese circles as Tolo. But there were other sites to explore.

The new Swat Museum in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province

“Immediately after the excavations of Butkara, other teams started working in the cities which were believed to be the ones pillaged and conquered by Alexander the Great in 327 BC,” Olivieri says.

In 1984, a new excavation project was started at Barikot in Swat — known as Bazira in Greek — and identified in later sources as one of the cities conquered and refortified by Alexander. When Olivieri went to Pakistan in 1987, he worked on the excavation there.

The earliest evidence found at Bazira goes back to the late Bronze age and early Iron Age. Olivieri describes the city as having a typical Hellenistic military architecture.

“It had a very long acculturation phase sharing multicultural material with Greek and Bactrian sites in Central Asia like Ai-Khanoum and Afrasiyab. Then we found the construction of a defensive wall, which was made by the Indo-Greeks in 15 BC. The Indo-Greeks are dynastic kings of Greek descent that established a very large kingdom in northern India. Their capital was in Pataliputra, which is nowadays Patna in the Ganges plain,” he says.

After the Indo-Greeks, the city was occupied by the Sakas, the Parthians and finally the Kushans. After two massive and destructive earthquakes during the 3rd century AD when the Kushan empire collapsed, the area was put under the rule of the Sasanians.

“The city was abandoned,” he says. “This is a very important piece of information because it is a common trend in the northern regions of south Asia, the crises of urbanism around the 3rd century.”

The number of monasteries in the settled area built by Buddhist monks in Swat was incredibly high.

“When the city of Barikot was abandoned and became just a field of ruins, all monasteries in the settled areas in the surrounding countryside remained alive, and they were still working in the 7th and 8th century. So, we can say five or six centuries after the abandonment of the city of Bazira, Buddhism in settled areas and monasteries was still flourishing.”

Olivieri describes Swat as one of the safest places he visited from his first arrival in 1987 to 2004.

“It was extremely safe. Neither me nor my colleagues had any kind of problem in Swat… the attitude and the tradition of hospitality that we experienced was extremely warm. It was an extremely safe place to stay and to work. Everything changed, of course, during the Taliban period. But in my view, the roots of that has nothing to do with the basic Swat tradition. It is something that was imported to Swat.”

After the Taliban showed up the security situation deteriorated. There were reports of floggings, executions and the destruction of property. Among the places affected was the Swat Museum. Established by the Italian mission in 1958, the building was later expanded by the Pakistani government. In 2005, it suffered extensive damage due to the Kashmir earthquake. Then in 2008, there was a huge bomb blast just in front of the museum in which 70 people died. Although the museum was not directly targeted, it was badly damaged.

The museum stood empty after the bombing.

“The Federal Department of Archaeology at the very beginning of the Taliban offensive in Swat moved all the museum’s objects to Taxila. So when the bomb blast occurred in 2008, luckily the museum was empty,” Olivieri says.

How many sculptures were damaged by the Taliban?

“Honestly speaking, not much. These people were not much interested in Swat’s archaeological heritage. Of course, the Jahanabad Buddha was impressively visible, and for that reason it attracted these people,” he says.

From 2008 to 2010 the Italian Archaeological Mission couldn’t go to Swat because of the security situation. But they did keep up regular contact with landlords and local caretakers.

“The Italian mission is a permanent institution in Swat,” says Olivieri. “We have a place, the same place which was established by Tucci. We have a library and guest house.”

The mission also has some sites under their responsibility.

Immediately after the end of the military operation in 2011, the Italian mission applied for a large-scale programme, funded under the framework of the Pakistan-Italian Debt Swap Agreement. This project included many activities for the protection of Swat’s cultural heritage. One of the most important one was the reconstruction of the Swat Museum.

Exactly 50 years after the inauguration of the Swat Museum in 1963, it was reopened on November 11, 2003. It has been rebuilt as a modern building constructed according to a seismic-resistant design.

“It was an incredibly great achievement because we made the entire work of demolishing, reconstructing the museum and reorganising the display in less than two years. The museum is now one of the best pieces of architecture you have in Saidu Sharif in Swat,” he says.

Following the military operation in Swat, the Italians also resumed work at Barikot and have made important discoveries there in the last two years. They include traces of the city that was besieged by Alexander the Great’s army in 327 BC.

Today archaeological tourism in Swat is on the rise. Most of the tourists are locals but there are also some foreigners.

“There is a new trend that is represented by Buddhist tourists who visit Pakistani archaeological sites purposely to see the Buddhist ruins and heritage. They come from South Korea, China, Thailand and Bhutan.”

One of the positive side effects of the Italian mission’s large-scale work has been the popularisation of archaeology in Swat.

“We have television programmes, documentaries and features broadcast in Pashtu and Urdu on regional and local television and on the internet,” he says.

“When you work in a Pashtu speaking environment you should know something in order to be understood,” he says. “My Pashtu is okay for archaeological excavation. My colleagues and I are able to interact with our workers.”

Olivieri is the author of a number of books on the archeology of Swat. He has also written the first archaeological manual purposely designed for Pakistani students. Previously, archaeology students had only old books written by British archeologists like Mortimer Wheeler and Sir John Marshall. The manual includes updated methodologies seen through a practical point of view.

“Practically in the book you can see how to start an archaeological work from the beginning. How many workers you need. How the workers should be organised What kind of equipment you need. How to organise the disposal of waste soil. How you can proceed in documentation and digging,” he says.

Olivieri has extremely well-trained local workers in Swat. “Our staff in Barikot includes at least 30 to 35 local workers whose ability in digging can be compared to good PhD university students in Europe. So, they actually know how to make an excavation.”

Among the Italian mission’s many accomplishments is the excavation near a place called Udegram, where they discovered the third-oldest mosque in Pakistan. It was established by Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century, and the team worked on the site between 1984 and 1999.

Nearly 95 per cent of Olivieri’s professional life has been spent in Swat. Over the past half decade, Olivieri has spent up to six months a year in Swat. Last year, in recognition of his services to protect the archaeological heritage of Pakistan, he was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, the third-highest civilian award in the country. “The Italian Mission has three Sitara Imtiaz,” he says proudly. “First was Gherardo Gnoli, the president of ISMEO — The Italian Institute for the Middle East and Far East after Tucci — and then Domenico Faccenna, and I was the third recipient.”

The Amluk Dara Stupa located in the beautiful Swat valley

http://gulfnews.com/culture/heritage/preserving-pakistan-s-archeological-heritage-1.2162312

 

[Kambojaric]

Famous Archaeologist, Historian Prof Dani Remembered

World acclaimed archaeologist,historian and linguist Professor Dr Ahmad Hasan Dani was remembered on occasion of ninth death anniversary on Friday

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Jan, 2018 ):World acclaimed archaeologist,historian and linguist Professor Dr Ahmad Hasan Dani was remembered on occasion of ninth death anniversary on Friday.

He was regarded as an authority on archeology, culture, linguistics, Buddhism and Central Asian archaeology and history. An ethnic Kashmiri, Dr Dani was born in Basna, in the district Raipur, India, on July 20, 1920.

He did his Masters in 1944 and became the first Muslim graduate of Banaras Hindu University. In 1945, Prof Dani started work as an archaeologist with Sir Mortimer Wheeler and took part in excavations in Taxila and Moenjodaro.

He was subsequently posted at the Department of Archeology of British India at Taj Mahal. After the Partition, he moved to Dhaka and worked as assistant superintendent of the Department of Archeology.

At that time, he rectified the Verandra Museum in Rajshahi. In 1950, he was promoted to the position of superintendent-in-charge of archeology. For 12 years (1950-62), Prof Dani worked as associate professor of history at the University of Dhaka and also as curator at Dhaka museum.



During this period, he carried out archaeological research on the Muslim history of Bengal. He also worked as a research fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (1958-59).

In 1969, he became Asian Fellow at the Australian National University, Canberra. In 1971, he moved to Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad where he established the Faculty of Social Sciences and served as its dean until his retirement in 1980.

In 1974, he went to the University of Pennsylvania as a visiting scholar. In 1977, he was a visiting professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prof Dani was awarded honorary fellowships of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bangladesh (1969), German Archaeological Institute (1981),Ismeo,Rome (1986) and Royal Asiatic Society (1991).

He received an honorary doctorate from Tajikistan University in Dushanbe in 1993. The same year, Prof Dani established the Islamabad Museum. Between 1992 and 1996, he was appointed adviser on archeology to the Ministry of Culture.

Between 1994 and 1998, he worked as chairman of the National Fund for Cultural Heritage in Islamabad. In 1997, he became honorary director at the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilisations. Dr Dani took part in exclusive excavation works on the pre-Indus civilization site of Rehman Dheri in northern Pakistan.

He also made a number of discoveries of Gandhara sites in Peshawar and Swat and worked on Indo-Greek sites in Dir. In 1990-91, he led Unesco's international scientific teams for the Desert Route Expedition of Silk Road in China and the Steppe Route Expedition of the Silk Road in the former Soviet Union.

He was awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2000 and Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 1969 in recognition of his meritorious contributions. He was also awarded L�gion d'Honneur by the French government in 1998, Aristotle Silver Medal by Unesco in 1997, Order of Merit by the government of Germany in 1996 and Knight Commander by the government of Italy in 1994.

Dr Dani authored more than 30 books, the latest being the History of Pakistan published in 2008. His other books include Historic City of Taxila, History of Northern Areas, Romance of the Khyber Pass, New Light on Central Asia, Central Asia Today and Human Records on Karakoram Highway.

He co-authored with J.P. Mohen the Volume III of History of Humanity,and with B.A. Litvinksy The Kushano-Sassanian Kingdom. He died on January 26, 2009 in Islamabad and was laid to rest in a local graveyard.

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/famous-archaeologist-historian-prof-dani-rem-250714.html

 

[Kambojaric]

15th century Jam Nindo tomb at Makli crumbling

THATTA: The 15th century architectural marvel, the shrine of Samma ruler Jam Nizamuddin II alias Jam Nindo (1439-1509), at Makli necropolis has developed large cracks and may vanish into oblivion if the authorities concerned fail to take steps on a war footing to preserve the heritage site, fear conservationists.

Jam Nindo was the most famous ruler of the Samma dynasty, which ruled Sindh, parts of Punjab and Balochistan from 1351 to 1551 CE. His capital was Thatta and his reign was considered the golden age of Sindh.

Inscribed with 12 bands of decoration running around the building from top to bottom comprising stone-carved diamonds, lotuses, Quranic inscriptions and geometric patterns, the structure is one of the most attractive in the necropolis.

Sarfaraz Jatoi, the necropolis conservator, disclosed that in recent months Matthias and Rand Eppich, structural engineers, architects and conservationists from Germany and Spain, respectively, carried out geo-technical studies of the monument on behalf of Unesco with a view to protecting the heritage site. They were yet to submit reports, he said.

Qasim Ali Qasim, former director general of archaeology department, disclosed that Unesco was highly concerned about the monument which had been included in the master plan of the archaeology department.

He said that during his tenure the department had installed ‘gauges’ in the tomb on professionals’ recommendations to measure changes in the size of the cracks due to earthquake or other underground activity. But he could not say if the gauges were still working properly or not, he said.

THE visible detachment of stones from their joints. / Photos by the author

About the present status of the structure, he said, when the position of columns was measured through plumb bob and other measuring instruments experts found the 33-foot tall structure with an equal size of plinth leaning seven inches towards the ground which was quite alarming.

Mr Qasim said that Mohan Lal, an engineer affiliated with Endowment Fund Trust for the Preservation of the Heritage of Sindh, had told him the fund was considering erecting a concrete wall at the back of the structure to save it from collapse.

He said that Unesco had warned the Pakistan government during its last meeting in Poland on June 17 last year that if required steps, including the construction of outer yard boundary wall, end to burial of outsiders and strengthening of the monument, were not taken according to the World Heritage Site rules, the Jam Nindo tomb would be struck off the list of endangered heritage sites of the world.

Former director general of archaeology Dr Mohammad Ali Manjhi called for immediate steps to save the structure, one of the most attractive tombs of necropolis, from vanishing into oblivion.

Activists of Thatta Historical Society and Sindh Cultural Forum, Sadiq Lakho, Allah Juriyo Burfat, Maaru Khushik, Ahmed Khushik and Nawaz Ali Qureshi, said that political personalities and vested interest groups were a major obstruction to construction of seven kilometre boundary wall around the necropolis, end to unabated practice of burials and encroachments within the limits of the heritage site.

They said that although the department appeared to make some efforts for the preservation of heritage sites, it had largely failed to live up to expectations after it took control of historical monuments under the 18th Amendment.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1390656/15th-century-jam-nindo-tomb-at-makli-crumbling

 

[Kambojaric]

Pakistan aims to revive glory of ancient Mughal city Lahore

LAHORE: Perched on scaffolding, restoration experts chip away at decades of grime and repair broken mosaic tiles in a bid to save the colossal murals depicting historic battles and regal ceremonies on the walls of Lahore fort.

The painstaking work is part of efforts to preserve Lahore’s crumbling architectural history as officials juggle conserving its diverse heritage with building modern infrastructure in Pakistan’s chaotic second city.
The metropolis, which once served as the capital of the Mughal empire that stretched across much of the subcontinent, has been subsumed into a myriad of civilizations across the centuries.
This rich past is most visible in the milieu of architecture salted across the Walled City of Lahore — from Hindu temples and Mughal forts to Sikh gurdwaras and administrative office built during the Raj.
“You get a history of a thousand years, 500 year-old houses and monuments and mosques, shrines and a very peaceful atmosphere,” says Kamran Lashari, director general of the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA).

Prime among them, and dating back to the 11th century, the Lahore fort was first built of mud and was then later reinforced with stone over the centuries by a long cast of Mughal emperors who oversaw its expansion and the accompanying artwork.

But periods of conflict along with searing heat, monsoon rains and years of neglect have taken a toll on the fort.
Despite the onset of decay, experts suggest the city’s vast Islamic architectural heritage could make it a contender to rival more established Silk Road travel destinations.

“Lahore can easily compete with Samarkand. It nearly matches Ispahan,” says Sophie Makariou, president of the Parisian-based National Museum of Asian Arts
.
Makariou adds that its failure to shine is more to do with safety concerns that have plagued the nation after multiple attacks.

“Due to the bad reputation of Pakistan, it remains unknown,” she explains.

But as security across Pakistan continues to improve, officials are hoping to revive Lahore’s lost glory.
More than 40 conservationists with the the WCLA — including engineers, architects and ceramists from across the globe — are currently working on restoring the mosaic mural on the fort’s exterior.

“It’s one of the largest murals in the world. It contains over 600 tile mosaic panels and frescos,” says Emaan Sheikh from the Agha Khan Trust for Culture.

Restoration of the mural is just part of a larger project to refurbish the fort, which includes conservation projects in the royal kitchen, the summer palace and a basement, according to WCLA’s director general Kamran Lashari.
Similar work by the WCLA has already been done to revamp the artwork at the historic Wazir Khan mosque and the Shahi Hammam — one of the only surviving Turkish Baths in the subcontinent that is approximately 400 years old.

The city’s famed Delhi Gate, which once hosted extravagant Mughal processions arriving in Lahore from the east, has also been fully restored along with dozens of homes in the Walled City.
Many of those involved in the project are optimistic.

“The cities which are most famous for tourism, you can take London, Madrid, Istanbul, Rome, all the prerequisites which are available in those cities, are available in Lahore,” claims Ahmer Malik, head of Punjab’s tourism corporation, referring to Lahore’s architectural and cultural attractions.

Kamil Khan Mumtaz, President of Lahore Conservation Society (LCS), an advocacy organization promoting preservation projects, says the efforts run the risk of transforming the old city into a “Disneyland” to attract tourists.
“This was a pedestrian’s city. A pre-Industrial revolution modelled city. This should be conserved into that original state instead of remodelling buildings,” said Mumtaz, who is pushing for the use of traditional construction materials in restoration projects.

The calls runs into fresh conflict with infrastructure plans aimed at easing the city’s traffic congestion as Lahore adds high-rise buildings, malls, flyovers and amusement parks to its cityscape.

Lahore was the first Pakistani city to unveil a metro bus service, and is now constructing an inaugural metro train that Mumtaz and fellow civil society groups say will diminish the architectural history.
The city also faces fresh challenges as it it opens up to tourism.

Canadian visitor Usama Bilal complains: “There are gorgeous old colonial buildings, British era buildings but they are not well taken care of. There is no infrastructure built for tourists.”

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1257391/world

 

[Kambojaric]

Pakistan, Switzerland sign MoU to cooperate in museum sector

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Switzerland Monday agreed to open new avenues of cooperation in museum sector through capacity building of museum experts, arranging exchange visits and conducting joint research programmes.

In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Department of Archaeology and Museums, National History and Literary Heritage (NH&LH) Division, Pakistan and Rietberg Museum, Zurich, Switzerland.

The MoU was signed by NH&LH Division Secretary Engineer Aamir Hasan and Rietberg Museum Director Albert Lutz during a ceremony held at Rietberg Museum in Zurich. Archaeology and Museums Director General Syed Junaid Akhlaq, who was also present during the ceremony, said that this MoU will help enhance cooperation between both the countries in the museum sector.

He revealed that the memorandum will provide an adequate framework for future institutional co-operation between the museums of Pakistan and Rietberg Museum in the areas of capacity building, joint research programmes, publications, scholarships for doctoral and post-doctoral research for professionals and young scholars of Pakistan in museology in the universities of Switzerland.

The MoU will also promote exchange visits between museum experts of both countries, museum-related seminars, discussion programmes and other activities, he added.

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/20...rland-sign-mou-to-cooperate-in-museum-sector/

 

[Kambojaric]

Peshawar Buddha to be displayed at Swiss expo

PESHAWAR: The biggest Buddha statue in the Peshawar Museum would be displayed at the Rietberg Museum of Zurich in Switzerland at an exhibition to promote religious tourism.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the officials of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism and Museums Department and the Swiss government, the Buddha would be transported to Switzerland where it will be showcased at the Rietberg Museum to promote religious tourism, said a press release issued here on Thursday by TCKP.

Secretary Tourism, Archaeology and Museums, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mohammad Tariq and Director Rietberg Museum, Zurich, Albert Lutz, singed the MoU. National History and Literary Heritage Division secretary Aamir Hassan and Heritage and Museums, Islamabad, director general Junaid Akhlaq were also present at the ceremony.

The MoU was part of an earlier agreement signed between the governments of Pakistan and Switzerland to open new avenues of cooperation in museums sector through capacity-building of museum experts, arranging exchange visits, conducting joint research programmes, etc.

According to the statement, after devolution of power in view of the 18th amendment the KP government was the first to ink such an agreement in museums sector with a foreign country. The Buddha statue would be displayed for about three and a half months.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1395613

 

[Kambojaric]

Centuries-old Neevin Masjid suffers at authorities’ hands

LAHORE: Neevin Masjid, the only mosque in the world constructed 25-feet below the ground level is situated inside the Lahori Gate of the Walled City. The mosque, constructed soon after Bahlul Khan Lodhi became the ruler of Delhi in 1451, is considered as the first religious place of the Muslims in the historic city of Lahore.

Some historians claim that the building of the mosque is even older than the Lodhi dynasty as it was originally constructed by the Hindus as a temple.

While the mosque, currently being run by a local area committee, attracts the attention of many owing to its history and unique construction, unfortunately, the departments concerned are ignoring the importance of the mosque, owing to which the history of the beautiful construction is gradually fading away.

The mosque was built in a way that despite being 25 feet below the ground level, there have never been any complaints of sewerage water pouring in. The mosque has two wells and a water tank constructed beneath the floor. The drainage and sewerage system is functional even after the passage of hundreds of years.

Abdul Karim, 75, sitting inside the mosque told this scribe that he had never seen water entering or standing still in the mosque.

“I have witnessed so many floods in the city, but never inside the mosque. The water standstill outside the mosque and in the nearby areas but never inside the mosque,” he said.

Another unique characteristic of the mosque is that unlike other religious places in Lahore, neither the Sikhs nor the British ever made any changes to the mosque or used it for any other purpose as they did with the Badshahi Mosque, Sonehri Mosque, Mariam Zamani and the Moti Masjid.

However, the original fabric of the mosque has been replaced with a new one while a few other modifications have also been carried out including the installation of electric cables. But the mosque still projects its uniqueness.

The mosque despite having such an importance and being a witness to centuries, suffers as the departments concerned – Auqaf and Archaeology – have never bothered to take its ownership. Due to this negligence, now the locals of the area have been restoring and maintaining the mosque on their own. They collect funds from the shopkeepers and other residents for the structure’s repainting and maintenance.

An official of the Auqaf Department confirmed that the Neevin Masjid was never included among the mosques owned by the department.

Seeking anonymity, he said that the department mostly intervened to own the mosques whenever any complaints were registered by the locals or some issues regarding the management surfaced.

“The department has remained reluctant to take the ownership as the matters of the said mosque are being run properly by the locals,” he said and added that it was the responsibility of the Archaeology Department as the mosque was of historic nature.

Archaeology Department Director Afzal Khan admitted that the mosque was one of the important archaeological sites in the city due to its unique construction and the department failed to include it among the archaeological sites.

He also said the department had decided to include it in its list of archeological sites and the necessary steps for the restoration of the historic mosque would be taken soon.

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/20...d-neevin-masjid-suffers-at-authorities-hands/

 

[Kambojaric]

Rs450m for archaeology

With a view to protecting heritage of Punjab through archaeological explorations, conservation and preservation, the Punjab government has allocated Rs450 million for the fiscal year 2017-18 for archaeology.

The fiscal year 2017-18's budgetary allocations are slightly increased as compared to the last fiscal year’s allocation of Rs400 million.

The objectives of the Punjab government behind this allocation remain the retention and conservation of cultural values of the built heritage as per international standards.

The Punjab government will spend Rs209.315 on its on-going schemes which include development and restoration of archaeological sites from Taxila to Swat, master plan for preservation and restoration of Rohtas Fort, Jhelum, conservation of historical monuments near the Orange Line Metro Track, Lahore. The on-going schemes also include conservation & development of Noor Jahan’s tomb in Shahdara and also preservation and restoration of Jahangir’s tomb, Shahdara Complex, Lahore.

The new schemes in archaeology include development of Rohtas Fort, District Jhelum, conservation of Bahadur Khan’s tomb*, Lahore, conservation of Asif Jah's tomb in Shahdara, development of website of directorate general of archaeology and important monuments /sites of Punjab.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/208281-Rs450m-for-archaeology

*Bahadur Zafar Jung Kokaltash was the governor of Lahore during Aurengzebs rule. He is buried in the city, but his tomb was badly damaged during the Sikh and British periods. Glad to see it finally getting some attention. The below vid shows its current state.

Repair and conservation work on the tomb of Khan-e-Jahan Bahadur Zafar begins

LAHORE: The Punjab Archaeology Department has started the conservation and repairs of the tomb of Khan-e-Jahan Bahadur Zafar Jang Kokaltash, Daily Times learnt reliably.

The sources informed Daily Times that the Archaeology Department had started the conservation without consulting the leading experts of conservation in Pakistan. The tomb was in shambles and half of the portion had collapsed as per sources. Further, the sources informed that the material being used did not match the standards of conserving a monument. On visiting the location, Daily Times learnt that cement, sand and gravel were being used in some parts of the monument instead of the original material of which the monument was made of, whereas, a separate site had been set up for the preparation of kankar lime plaster which was the traditional material used in old times. The total cost of the conservation project is Rs 22-26 million and would be completed by December 2019. Talking to various experts of archeology and conservation, most of them denied the ongoing conservation of the tomb.

Talking to a researcher Faizan Naqvi about the history and importance of this monument, he informed that the tomb belonged to a man who was among the nobles of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir’s era.

“His original name was Mir Malik Husain and he was Aurungzeb’s foster brother and a noble in the Mughal court. In 1673, he was appointed the governor of Deccan and had been an important person in Aurangzeb’s court and helped in strengthening his land and fighting battles. Being happy with the services of Mir Malik Hussain in 1674, Aurangzeb gave him the title of Khan-e-Jahan Bahadur Zafar Jang Kokaltash. In 1691, Khan-e-Jahan was appointed governor of Allahabad. Later, Aurangzeb was somehow disappointed by Khan-e-Jahan as he lost an important battle against the Marathas which led to his dismissal from the office of Punjab in 1693. Khan-e-Jahan died on November 23, 1697 and then was buried in Lahore,” Faizan Naqvi said. He further added that the monument was neglected since ages and there was no upkeep of the monument located near the railway tracks of Mughalpura. He lamented that the tomb was in a deplorable and disgraceful condition and the east facade had previously collapsed. He added that the dome was spared but being weak in structure it was supported by a brick pillar. He showed his surprise over the conservation of this monument and said that it was much needed despite much of the building was already lost. He also mentioned that most of the monuments in Mughalpura, Dharampura and GT Road were in miserable conditions and required immediate repairs.

Archaeology Department Deputy Director Malik Maqsood said that his department had multi disciplinary approach experts on board comprising of archeologists, conservationists, engineers and chemists who deal with all the conservation projects. He informed Daily Times that all the experts with Archaeology Department analyse the proposal prepared by an archeological conservationist which later on after scrutiny is presented to the director general and secretary who forward it to the Planning & Development Department. On inquiring about the name of any expert, he again mentioned that there was a committee but he cannot name any.

“The project would be completed by December 2019 as it is a slow process of conservation. We are preparing the traditional mortar for the conservation and also the flooring will be re-laid. We would also be developing the surrounding areas of this tomb,” he said.

Malik Maqsood negated any use of cement or contemporary material being used in the conservation of the monument. He added that Archaeology Department prioritises the work on monuments and those seeking immediate attention are fixed first.

Talking about the conservation of this tomb with the senior architect and conservationist Nayyer Ali Dada, he remarked that although he had not visited the ongoing work but keeping in view the history of archaeological works, previously done conservation projects by them were not very satisfactory as they lacked expertise and research.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/232221/re...he-tomb-of-khan-e-jahan-bahadur-zafar-begins/

 

[Kambojaric]

A number of coins dating from the first century were found on Friday during the excavation and preservation work on the 2,000-year-old Buddhist ruins in the historic Takht-e-Bahi site in the west of Pakistan.

Addressing a news briefing on Friday, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Archaeology and Museums Research Officer Nawazuddin said the department has so far completed 20-25% of work on Zone-B of the site, Express Tribune reported.

Nawaz added that perseveration and excavation work is being carried out in association with Humanitarian Assistance and Facilitating Organization (HAFO) at Takht-e-Bahi, an ancient Buddhist site which was included in UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1980.

He said the project had commenced on July 1, 2017, and is expected to conclude by the end of this calendar year.

Nawaz added that the project has different components such as conservation, excavation and awareness-raising among the public. It will also train archaeology students in modern archaeological techniques.

He noted that the coins discovered from the area were from the period of Parthian king Gondophares in the first century AD.

The official added that Buddhist civilization was at one point centered in areas around Takht-e-Bahi, comprising the Gandhara civilization from where it spread to other parts of the world. He also said Takht-e-Bahi was a doorway to an ancient world and is very important for research purposes.

https://financialtribune.com/articles/travel/85891/ancient-coins-found-in-pakistan

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Directorate of Archaeology and Museums of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has accelerated the conservation and excavation work on 2000-year old ancient Buddhist monastic site at Takht Bhai.

The department has so far completed 20-25 per cent excavation work on Zone-B of the Takht Bhai archaeological site, which is situated at an altitude of 500 metres, not only offers visitors a glimpse into the ancient times but also serves as a popular picnic and tourist spot.

Archaeology Directorate Research Officer Nawazuddin briefed the media persons during a training session, arranged by the directorate in collaboration with the Humanitarian Assistance and Facilitating Organisation (HAFO) at the Takht Bhai. The site was included by UNESCO in the World Heritage List in 1980.

He said that the project commenced on July 1, 2017, and would conclude by the end of this year. The project has different components such as conservation, archaeological work, cleaning and awareness. He said that the Zone A was a 2,000-year old Buddhist monastery while Zone B was their residential area.

He said that the coins discovered from the area were from the period of Parthian king Gondophares in the first century AD. People from different walks of life, including historians, archaeologists and tourists, arrive here while Buddhists from across the world visit it as part of their religious beliefs.

The visitors have to ascend about 300 steps on a hill to reach the archaeological wonder. The official said that the Buddhist civilisation had spread to other parts of the world from the Gandhara state. He said that the Takht Bhai site was an ancient land and was very important for research purposes.

Nawazuddin said that the conservation work aims at to promote a soft image of Pakistan in the world. He said that the Buddhist civilisation was destroyed by Hindus in the seventh century. He told the participants that the ancient site of the Gandhara civilisation was discovered in 1836 by a French Army officer.

Excavation work on the site started in 1872 during the British rule in the Indian subcontinent. “Each visitor is charged Rs20 for an entry ticket. For photographs at the site, a visitor can be charged Rs300, while bridal photography and commercial videography can cost up to Rs30,000 each,” he said.

The official said that the department has initiated several projects, meant to promote archaeological tourism and creating awareness about the ancient era historic buildings and places in different parts of the province. He said that the department has expedited work on the establishment of three new museums in Abbottabad, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan.

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2018/05/04/conservation-excavation-work-accelerated-at-takht-bhai/

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The coins are associated with the Gondopharid dynasty which ruled parts of present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwestern India, during or slightly before the 1st century CE. Their coinage was often inspired by Iran’s Parthian Empire (247 BC–224 CE).

The well-preserved Takht-e Bahi is an Indo-Parthian archaeological site of an ancient Buddhist monastery in Mardan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/423321/Ancient-Indo-Parthian-coins-excavated-in-Pakistan

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Some coins from Gondophares discovered in the past show the strong heritage the Greeks left behind on the Indus region.

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/...1_0099/gondopharescoins/gondopharescoins.html

 

[Indus Priest King]

You all should follow Ancient Pakistan FB page.

 

[Kambojaric]

Feature: Pakistan in efforts to rejuvenate Taxila, one of most important archaeological sites in Asia

ISLAMABAD, May 11 (Xinhua) -- When it comes to the ancient history, Pakistan has its fair share of treasures of which the most prominent and undeniably important archaeological sites in South Asia is Taxila, a place where rich human civilizations rose and declined over the last five millennia.

Sadeed Arif, assistant professor of archaeology at the Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, told Xinhua that Taxila was ruled by various empires over the centuries for its special location and also an important trade route in the times of yore. The ancient city used to be a regional or national capital.

Once strategically important place that linked Southern, Western and Central Asia regions to the West, Taxila was a meeting point of various cultures which include Achaemenids, Hellenistic, Mauryans, Indo-Greek, Kushan, Gupta, Huns and eventually the Muslims, said Arif, adding that different religions such as Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism had been practiced in Taxila.

Located at a drive of some 30 km in northwest of Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, Taxila attracts around 800,000 to 1 million people, including local and foreign tourists, each year due to its fascinating archaeology relics, history, art or architecture, said Nasir khan, an administrator at a museum in Taxila, which was created to provide an efficient guide to the three millennia of human civilization under one roof and to make the ancient city's vast wonders accessible to all.

The archaeological sites of Taxila are well preserved and maintained due to serious efforts made by the Pakistani government.

The site is a protected antiquity in terms of the Antiquities Act, 1975, passed by parliament of Pakistan.

"The governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) provinces have the administrative and financial authority over all the heritage sites of Taxila," said Abdul Samad, managing director at Directorate of Archaeology and Museums in KPK.

The provincial government is constantly working for the preservation and conservation of all the historical sites of Taxila, Malik Maqsood Ahmed, deputy director at Archaeological Department of Punjab, told Xinhua.

During the last five years, Pakistani government has spent more than 200 million rupees (about 1.7 million U.S. dollars) on different projects for the preservation, restoration and provision of tourist facilities at different ancient sites of Taxila, Ahmed said, adding that a fund worth 60 million to 70 million rupees have also been allocated for several projects for the next two years.

Furthermore, Taxila is being supervised by a number of technical staff and archaeological experts, said Ahmed.

A comprehensive management plan had been set up and being implemented for its preservation and conservation since its declaration as a world heritage site in 1980 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), he stated.

However, a number of deficiencies and shortcomings still prevail, which are already being addressed, according to government officials.

The stone crushers and antiques smugglers are the biggest threats to the cultural heritage site in the region, Ahmed said.

Archeologically important sites are also being protected from human encroachments as this is another major problem that need to be tackled, he added.

"The number of tourists visiting the site has drastically increased in the recent years mainly due to improved security situation in the country and the removal of unnecessary travelling restrictions imposed by the government in the past," said Khan.

The number could be increased if governments would simplify the procedure for foreigners who intend to visit the place, Khan added.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/12/c_137172822_3.htm

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Dharmarajika Stupa, earliest religious complex at Taxila