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The Kushano-Sasanian Phases at Barikot, Swat: the Evidence from the 2018 Excavation Campaign

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The Kushano-Sasanian Phases at Barikot, Swat: the Evidence from the 2018 Excavation Campaign Ancient Pakistan, Vol. XXX, 2019: 23–42 ISSN: 0066-1600(print)/ 2708-4590(online) The Kushano-Sasanian Phases at Barikot, Swat: The Evidence from the 2018 Excavation Campaign Elisa Iori and Luca M. Olivieri* This article is dedicated to the memory of Sebastiano Tusa (Palermo 1952 – Bishoftu 2019) prematurely died in a tragic plane crash in Ethiopia on his duty as archaeologist. Sebastiano Tusa was the excavator of Aligrama in Swat, member of the Italian Mission, a great manager of Sicily’s immense cultural heritage, and a great friend of Pakistan. Abstract: The article reports on the archaeological data provided by the 2018 excavation at the urban site of Barikot, Swat (NW Pakistan). The campaign focused on the last phases of occupation of some residential and cultic areas located in the SW sector of the city, Units C and B. The excavation in Unit C reveals that the reconstruction activity following the seismic event occurred at the end of Period VII (mid- 3rd century) caused a substantial contraction and redistribution of the living spaces. The investigation of the Kushano-Sasanian phases in some areas of the so-called Temples C and B, enriched our knowledge of these urban cultic areas, both in terms of architectural layout and ritual practices. Keywords: Kushano-Sasanians, abandonment phases, residential units, urban cultic areas Introduction Mr. Fazal Malik guided the team of specialised The site of Barikot (Bir-kot-ghwandai or BKG) local workers. has no need of being introduced here anew. The One of the objectives of the Fall 2018 excavation of the ancient city of Bazira with campaign was the exploration of the last structural its acropolis has been a project of the Italian phase (Period VIII) of urban life in two sectors of Archaeological Mission since 1977. The site the ancient city, which was either left unexplored from 2011 to date has become the target of an or needed some punctual clarification. The first intensive series of excavation campaigns focusing sector corresponds to Unit C (BKG 11, Sector on the South-Western quarter of the ancient city, 1-2 E), the second to the area of Unit B (Temple both inside and outside the limits of the urban B; BKG 11, Sector 1-2 W). Period VIII, and the area (Trenches BKG 4-5, 11, and 12) (Figs. preceding Period VII, belong to the same BKG 1-2). The excavation at Barikot and the Mission cultural phase (Macrophase 5a and 5b), which (ISMEO) are both led by the co-author of these is marked by a well-defined Kushano-Sasanian notes. However, during both the past three years acculturation phase (see Olivieri 2017a and Noor and the 2018 fieldwork, the task of supervising Agha Noori et al. 2019)1. The end of both periods the fieldwork was given to Dr. Elisa Iori (now was marked by important seismic events, which at the Max-Weber-Kolleg, Universität Erfurt). were largely documented in the stratigraphy In Fall 2018, we shared the responsibility of the (Olivieri 2011 [2015], 2012, 2012 [2016], 2017a, training of two teams of archaeology students 2017b; Olivieri et al. 2014; Moscatelli et al. 2016). with Dr. Zarawar Khan of the University of Swat, After the first earthquake, the layout of the city and Prof. Subhani Gul of Jahanzeb College from shows clear signs of contraction, many loci were those institutions. Mr. S. Niaz Ali Shah (DOAM) left abandoned whilst others were transformed. supervised the fieldwork as representative of the These aspects will be analysed in the following KP Government, whereas Mr. Fazal Azeem and pages. Eventually, the last earthquake was fatal, *ISMEO Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan. [email protected] 24 Elisa Iori and Luca M. Olivieri Figure 1. Map of trench BKG 4-5/11 (I. Marati and F. Genchi) © ISMEO. The Kushano-Sasanian Phases at Barikot, Swat: … 25 Figure 2. Aerial view (from S) of trench BKG 4-5/11 (F. Khaliq) © ISMEO and Fazal Khaliq. and the city was suddenly abandoned. There is Macrophases 5a-b present a completely new evidence of a temporary re-occupation phase and coherent Æ numismatic assemblage: Late in Period IX/Macrophase 6, which is scattered Kushan, sub-Kushan, and Kushano-Sasanian throughout the ruined quarters and features coins. The same assemblage is also documented shabby and makeshift structural reuses (Cupitò in the following re-occupation phase (Macrophase and Olivieri 2013; Olivieri et al. 2014). 6) (Table 1). Updated lists (to 2016) of all the At the end of the excavation campaign, we excavated coins with stratigraphic description decided to immediately prepare a preliminary and data are available in Olivieri 2011 [2014], report, in order to contribute to the historical Id. 2012 [2015]; Olivieri ed. 2014; Iori et al. volume XXX of Ancient Pakistan also. Elisa Iori 2015. We do not want to discuss aspects, which is the principal author of this report, which here are beyond our expertise. The final and definitive is accompanied by a few notes, where the co- attribution of these coins will wait for the full author has tried to outline some historical issues. catalogue of the BKG coins (found until 2019) These issues, which concern chronology and currently in progress with Ehsan Shavarebi under political affiliation, were already raised after our the supervision of Michael Alram (Austrian previous fieldwork, but are now better supported Academy of Sciences). by evidence from the last campaign. Late Kushan coins are mainly represented by 26 Elisa Iori and Luca M. Olivieri Table 1. List of identified coins per Period-Phase/Macrophase (b). (N.B.: * is Western Kṣatrapas?) Preliminary data (updated 2018). Late Kushano- sub- Periods/Phases Macrophases earlier Kushan other later Kushan Sasanian Kushan BKG 11 and 12 (after Olivieri et al. 2014, etc.) Period X 1 3 11 1 10 1 Period IX 6 - 1 13 7 15 1* - Period VIII 5b 3 15 15 32 7 - Period VII 5a 1 7 7 - - - - BKG 4-5 (after McDowall and Callieri 2004) Period X 6 - - - - - - - Period IX - - 3 - - - - 5b Period VIII 1 12 12 6 6 - - Periods VII 5a - 8 4 4 5 - - BKG 3 (ibid.) Period IVB- - - 11 14 - - - Phase 2b 5b Phase 2A2 - - 8 - - - - BKG 1 (ibid.) Period X - - - - - - 1 7 Period IX - - - - - - - Period VIII - - - - 1 - - 5 Period VII 1 - - - - - - Total 7 46 84 64 42 1 2 Vasudeva types (imitiation) (Śiva/bull type and have been convertible for each other, since the Ardoxšo type: MacDowall 2005: figs. 8 and 9), latter two roughly correspond to ~1/2 and ~1/4 which possibly started being issued in early post- of the Late Kushan unit (~6 gr.) respectively (see Kushan times in Bactria or central Afghanistan Callieri and MacDowall 2004: 69; see also Cribb (Jongeward, Cribb, Donovan 2014: 13)2. 1990: 173-174). Sub-Kushan coins (a definition coined by The Kushano-Sasanian coins are largely Malcom McDowall) are tiny pieces of Æ with represented by extremely worn issues; the few traces of figures with an average weight of 1 gr., readable coins point to the earliest Sasanian which have been found at different sites, including governors (for the recent evidence from Bhamala, Hadda (excavations 1970-71) and Taxila see Hameed et al. 2017a: 60-61) (Table 3)3. (Bhamala) (Callieri and McDowall 2004: 69). On preliminary basis, we are proposing These coins are basically cut-offs of Late Kushan for Macrophase 5 a mid-/end-3rd century CE (Fig. 3d) and Kushano-Sasanian coins (see Figs. chronology, which seems confirmed by the 3a-c), and are used as small change. Late Kushan, available radiocarbon data (Cupitò and Olivieri sub-Kushan and Kushano-Sasanian coins might The Kushano-Sasanian Phases at Barikot, Swat: … 27 a c b d Figure 3. Coins from Macrophases 5a and 5b: a – BKG 4185 (D. 1.3; gr. 1.35; 11 H); b – BKG 3999 (D. 1.6; gr. 3.35; 12 H); c – BKG 2375 (D. 1.7; gr. 3.38; 11 H); d – BKG 4184 (D. 1.4; gr. 1.35; 1 H) (Aurangzeb Khan; Cristiano Moscatelli) © ISMEO. 2013). The final study of the coin assemblage, all the drains and pit-wells in trenches BKG 3, which is now in progress (see above), will 4/5 and 11 at the end of Macrophase 5b, can be eventually confirm or adjust our chronological explained only by a ‘microseism’ in the social hypothesis for the late phases of the ancient city’s organisation of the city4. In the trade market of the life. city, Kushano-Sasanian coins were largely in use (as proved by the conditions of the coins, and by Political affiliation the number of cut-offs documented). As already said, the abandonment of the city occurred under Some years ago, we put ahead the hypothesis the Kushano-Sasanians, and not because of that if ‘[…] these élites “were” the town, a crisis them5. Our conclusions were that ‘[…] the new of their political patrons (Kushans) might have rulers of Barikot might have had less prestige, produced a sort of waterfall-effect that caused - in less financial and military power, may be also between – a crack in the social framework (that looser connections with the influential abbeys may be proven by the abandonment of drainage of the many Buddhist foundations around the management), and eventually put an end to the town. All these factors, combined with the natural life of the town as it was before. Practically the disasters, might have eventually led the town to Kushan allied élites may have found themselves abandonment’ (ibid.: 167). on the wrong side when the political wind It is premature to draw any conclusions, but changed’ (Olivieri 2012: 163).
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