Journal of Asian Civilizations

In pursuit of Palaeolithic cultures. The lifelong contributions of Dr. Muhammad Salim

Asif Ali, Sirat Gohar — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In pursuit of Palaeolithic cultures. The lifelong contributions of Dr. Muhammad Salim

Cultural Heritage Management Plan for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project. Urgent tasks

Harald Hauptmann — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The note presented here, unpublished, and recently found during a reconnaissance of the materials preserved in Harald Hauptmann’s personal archives, presents a brief synopsis of the work conducted by the Pak-German mission in Gilgit-Baltistan and directed until 2013 by the author. The most important part of this note, which was drafted in 2015, however, lies in the ideal program that the author has in fact left in it for future reference for colleagues who would deal, after him, with this important region of Pakistan and its endangered cultural heritage.

Mostly fakes. Stelae representing Bodhisattvas from a collection of confiscated Gandharan material

Tahir Saeed , Arshad Ullah — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This article presents some previously unpublished Gandharan pieces depicting Bodhisattvas from a collection of material confiscated by the Department of Archaeology and Museums in Islamabad in collaboration with the Customs of Pakistan, Directorate General of Intelligence & Investigation-FBR-Regional Office, Sukkur. The confiscated material comprises more than eleven hundred cultural items, including painted ceramics from Balochistan, ceramics from the Islamic period, glazed tiles, detached Buddha heads, statues of Buddhas in different postures and in different media (schist, stucco, terracotta, and bronze), and other Gandharan objects (friezes, panels, stupa models, relic caskets). Some pieces, including some of those presented in this article, are fakes. The article also contains a brief note on the ethical issues related to these materials, and a possible dating and provenance of the few authentic pieces.

About the “Central Asian Phrygians” (on I. Čašule's hypothesis)

Leonid M. Sverchkov — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In recent years there has been a wide discussion about the relict language of Burushaski, the reason for which was the hypothesis of Ilija Čašule. The author of the hypothesis defines Burushaski as an Indo-European, ancient Balkan language, very probably Phrygian or related to it, although its contacts with the North Caucasian and Yenisei languages are not denied. Leaving the subject of discussion to the linguists, we would like in this connection to draw attention to the problem of the origin of the repeatedly mentioned anonymous Central Asian donor language and, in addition, cite the data of the genetic study of the Cimmerians, as well as the carriers of the Karasuk and Okunevo cultures. In turn, some insight into the complex historical movements of peoples and their cultural contacts can be given by archaeological materials from Central Asia.In particular, we are talking about a peculiar cultural-historical community that spread from the southern Mongolian steppe belt to the Gansu province, the Tarim basin and further southwest to the Central Asian interfluves inclusively.

The Uraśa State and its capital: Some notes

Shakir Ullah , Muhammad Zahoor — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This article deals with the toponym Hazāra, and its original Uraśā or Araśa, which still survives in the Damtauṛ or Dhamtauṛ valley, Abbotabad. The level plain of Dhamtaur valley is locally known as Rush or Arash. The name variants recorded by the ancient writers were: Arash, Arsa, Uraśa and Uragā. It is not unlikely therefore that the original spelling was Aruśa which, in the course of time, changed into Uraśa.

Advisory Council of Swat State (1954-1969). An appraisal

Jalal Uddin — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The princely State of Swat had very cordial relations with the Government of Pakistan since partition in August 1947. However, soon after independence there were voices for popular government and democratisation of Swat State. The ruler of Swat State had to respond to such demands and to take such steps that may appease the dissenting elements. In response to such demands within the State, an Advisory Council was introduced in Swat State in 1954 and it remained operative till 1969. The Council consisted of both nominated and elected members. The sessions of the Advisory Council were held regularly. In this article an attempt has been made to trace the historical background of the Council, conduct of elections to the proposed Council and its membership. Further, the proceedings of the Council have also been covered.

Buddhist fascination? Some notes on cultural archeology during the British Raj

Marta Varini — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The following pages present an overview on the archeological history in the Indian Subcontinent. This paper will also underline a few problematic terms and concepts, unavoidably incurred during the research: the use of the term Civilization, the overbearing employment of “Orientalism”, the fragile notion of “Graeco-Buddhist art”, the idea of superiority of “classicism” in canons and traditions, and so on. Systematic research was conducted by intellectuals who were moved by contemporary Romantic sentiment, in their quest for elegant canons of classical antiquity, as much as they were imbued with a sense of superiority of one tradition (Buddhism) over another but made possible the founding and development of the Archaeological Survey of India, the main agency responsible for archaeological research and the conservation during the British Raj.