Fresh Archaeological Discoveries in Swat: a Preliminary Report (Campaign 2011)
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Ancient Pakistan, Vol. XXIII 55 Fresh Archaeological Discoveries in Swat: A Preliminary Report (Campaign 2011) Zarawar Khan and Zain-ul Wahab Geographically the Swat valley lies between & 1930, 5-104; Fergusson, 1910, 89). Lat.34°-31’-55” and 35°-53’-40” north and However, with the passage of time, some Long.71°-47’-15” and 73°, east in the new and important archaeological remains Malakand division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were brought to light through explorations province of Pakistan (Swati, 1997, 151). Its and scientific excavations conducted by the Headquarter is Saidu Sharif, which is 34° British archaeological Mission to Swat in 44’57.66” north and 72°-21’22.52” east with 1938 (Barger & Wright, 1985, 9-31), the an elevation of 950 meters above the sea Italian archaeological mission to Swat level. The topography of the land of Swat is (IsMEO now IsIAOI) in collaboration with correctly explained by Major Riverty in the Department of Archaeology and 1862. He writes “The land of the whole of Museums, Government of Pakistan since Swat, in fact, is like a boat, the sides of the 1956 onward (Tucci, 1958, 279-328 & Khan, boat are the mountains, and the bottom part 1995, 2), the Department of Archaeology and the land, as different materially from the Museums, Government of Pakistan (Khan, mountain. The lowest land in the valley is 1995, 2) and by the Department of that portion through which the river flows; Archaeology, University of Peshawar and it gradually rises until close up to the (Rahman, 1991, 152-7; 1993, 1-54; Khan, mountains. It may also be compared to the 1995, 2-4 & 7-25) two hands placed together like as when one wishes to drink out of them; but only just The present paper treats with the discovery sufficiently raised so as to prevent the water of some fresh archeological remains and from running out” (Raverty, 1862, 235). antiquities from the different localities like Islampur, Kukrai, Barikot and Manglawar, of The rich archaeological heritage of this the Swat valley for the purpose of academic valley has attracted the attention of research. During this short survey, we have antiquarians and scholars since the first half explored and documented some Hindu and of the 19th century CE. In this process Buddhist period sites and also obtained General M.A. Court, one of the French photographs of inscriptions related to the officers in the service of Maharaja Ranjit Buddhist and Muslim periods. A preliminary Singh, was the first to acquire information report of our brief archeological campaign is about the existence of Buddhist stupas and given below. other structural remains as well as carved inscriptions on stone, in different parts of the Archaeological Remains near Kukrai Swat valley (Court, 1839, 307, 311-12). and Islampur Later on many remarkable discoveries were 1. Stone masonry wall made by officers of the British government, like James Abbot, Major H.G. Raverty, Sir Aurel Stein, and also by a French explorer Remains of the now dilapidated stone Alferd Foucher etc (Abbot, 1854, 360-62; masonry wall are visible about 50m to the Raverty, 1862, 237-257; Stein, 1996, 16-112 north of the Kukrai police post and 6.6 km to Ancient Pakistan, Vol. XXIII 56 the south of Saidu Sharif (Pl. 1a). Located to which were probably recorded by sir Aurel the western side of the metaled road, these Stein in 1926, but his report shows no remains show great resemblance to the photographs of them (Stein, 2006, 73).These Hindu Shahi period structure in the other carvings were blasted in 1973, by localities of Swat as well as at Hund, in the Muhammad Sherin son of Itbar Shah, a Swabi district. The wall is constructed of resident of the Kukrai village, who had then dressed stone blocks of various sizes in established a query for stones there (Pl. 2a). typical Gandharan architectural style, Recently, a deep ditch was dug through showing small dippers in the filling of gaps heavy machinery in the hope of finding some between the two large stones (Pl. 1b). It is hidden treasure at the foot of the now blasted now in a very bad state of preservation and figures. The deep ditch is still visible from hardly extent up to seven or eight meters the road side (Pl. 2b). from north to south, with a height of only half a meter. It is superimposed by a heap of 1.3. Jaba: Archaeological site rough stones and soil acting as an embankment to one of the terraced fields. From the archaeological point of view, the The southern side of the wall is dismantled western part of the main road, attached to the by the local Gujar people, who have reused Dop Gahr hill series, and extending from the materials in the construction of their Kukrai to Islampur, is of great interest. Here houses. may be found archaeological remains starting from the Gandhara Grave culture, up 1.1. Natural Cave behind Tango Banr to the establishment of Muslim occupation of Hamlet the area. The Jaba site is one of those sites hidden by later deposit and land sliding. About ninety meters to the north-west of the above cited wall, and in the middle of the The site has recently been discovered in the Dop hill behind the Hamlet of Tango Banr, is town of jaba, ½ km to the south west of situated a natural and deep cave, facing to the Islampur, and about ¼ km from the Kukrai east. It was unfortunately not fully explored police post, on the western side of the main and documented due to the suspicious and road. The discovery took place by chance harsh attitude of the local Gujars, whose during the extension work of the main road houses are lying visible from it. We were that connects Islampur to Saidu Sharif. The informed by a local shepherd boy that the exposed remains revealed the remains of cave is wide and deep enough to circular structures with domical ceilings (Pl. accommodate many sheep and goat in the 3a). Although, half of the dome is dismantle, time of rain and bad weather. However, it the remaining portion still gives an idea should be thoroughly explored for the hope about its original shape. The dome is of finding some rock carvings, painting and hallowed from inside and has been stone tools etc. constructed of small stones through corbelling method with traces of mud mortar 1.2. Buddhist Rock Carvings (Now as binding material (Pl. 3b). Blasted) The visible portions of the dome measure A mountain cliff, immediately to the north of 1.83 m wide and 1.52 m high from the the present Kukrai Police post, was once present road level. At a distance of 6m to its marked by some Buddhist rock carvings, north, there lies the remains of yet another such structure which is unfortunately Ancient Pakistan, Vol. XXIII 57 completely destroyed, except the rear wall The Kandaro Pati mound is bordered to the (Pl. 4). These structures have been northwest by a seasonal ravine, issuing from interconnected through a stone masonry wall, the nearby Dop hill, which separates it from which is partially visible in the eroded the Jaba Archeological site, situated to its section (Nasim Khan, 2011, 145). According south. to the local information a terracotta storage jar full of ashes and soil was recovered from 1.5. Tato Gat Remains the interior of the dome. It was so fragile that it soon turned to pieces. What was the actual The remains of this site have been exposed purpose behind the construction of these by the treasure hunters in the area of Gujar structures? We cannot say anything with Tange, commonly known as Tato Gat (after certainty nor do we have any such structures the horse-like appearance of the big in the area for comparison. Probably they boulders, lying near the site). The site is were used only to keep preserve the located 3.1 km to north-east of Sapal Bandai cremated remains of the dead. However, the village in the middle of a mountain series, scientific archaeological excavation if and about 10 km to the south of Saidu Sharif conducted will reveal its exact purpose of (Nasim Khan, 2011, 145), and its recorded construction. elevation is 1390 m from the sea level. The exposed structures consist of a square 1.4. Kandaro Paty: Archaeological platform of stone masonry, which appears to Mound be the foundation of either a temple or a watch tower (Pl. 6). However, only the The mound is locally known as Kandaro pati scientific excavation will reveal its true (fields over the ruins), and is located about ½ nature. At a distance of about 2 km, to the km to the north of Kukrai police post, in the east of the site is another place known as outskirt of Islampur (Pl. 5a). Here still lie the Tara Gat, but nothing is left here for remains of stone masonry walls, some of recording by the antique seekers. which are converted into rough embankment of the terraced fields (Pl. 5b). A Buddhist 1.6. Boulder with Cup marks rock cut figure has just recently blasted for the sake of acquiring stone for the new A big boulder also exists in the Gujar Tangi, building in the Dande Patey (field with which is marked by 20 sunken cup marks reservoir of water) to the south east of the (Pl. 7). It lies near a ravine, to the north east mound. Remains of some exposed graves of another big boulder, locally known as about 1 meter below the present ground level Ghubal Gata, and the newly constructed road can still be observed after a portion of the that connects Sapal Bandai with the town of mound was recently bulldozed, to the west of Badro.