Journal of Asian Civilizations

The Knapped Stone Assemblage from the Late Neolithic Site of Jhandi Babar-I, Dera Ismail Khan (Pakistan): A Typological Analysis

Muhammad Waqar , Zakirullah jan — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study aimed to examine the typology of the knapped stone assemblage found at Jhandi Babar-I, a well-known site situated in the Gomal Valley, in the district of Dera Ismail Khan. The Department of Archaeology, University of Peshawar conducted excavations at the site in 1998. In addition to other artefacts, an abundance of stone tools was unearthed, both from the excavation and surface collection. These stone tools exhibit a diverse range of forms and shapes. The assemblage contains 134 lithic artefacts, which can be attributed to two distinct time periods: the Late Neolithic and the early Bronze Age.

Archaeology at the Western Margins of Thar Desert: Recent Explorations in Khairpur’s Tehsil Faiz Ganj, Sindh

Waqar Ali Chang, Mueezuddin Hakal — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This work attempts to identify and locate forty sites of different periods, explored as a result of recent field activities in the Tehsil Faiz Ganj, Khairpur District, Sindh. Further, an analysis of this data mainly contributes to understand the eastern limits of inhabitation towards the western margins of Thar desert in Sindh. In this connection, the study demonstrates a cultural chain of events dating back from the middle palaeolithic to the late historic periods, marking the highest concentration of Harappan site. There are thirteen sites of significant Harappan occupation, with diagnostic groups of the Hakra and Kot Diji periods, five large Mature Harappan settlements, and traces of their survival into the localisation (Jhukar) phase. More importantly, the discovery of Hakra-phase material at Taloor ji Bhit and other sites, such as Ronri with its kiln characteristics, indicates an uncharted early occupation and cultural direction between the regionalisation and cultural integration periods. One of them is the discovery of Painted Grey Ware at six sites, which provide a critical chronological interval between the decline of Indus urbanism and the emergence of the second urbanization in South Asia. Further, a spatial analysis reveals that the ancient population strategically exploited the ecotone between the Indus alluvial plains and the Thar Desert to utilize seasonal water sources and facilitate long-distance trade, as attested by the coastal materials. This paper finally conclusively confirms that the Thar Desert fringe was not a periphery but a vibrant cultural flow that reflects Faiz Ganj’s contribution to the continuing habitation, cultural exchange, and adaptation in Prehistoric and Protohistoric Sindh.

Buddhist Period Sites Reported from Malakpur Area, Tehsil Gadaizi, District Buner (Pakistan)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The area around Malakpur Village of district Buner represents one of the richest archaeological landscapes of Buner and ancient Uddiyana, containing a diverse assemblage of Buddhist-period heritage. Recent investigations have identified a series of Buddhist stupas, rock carvings, monastic remains, and associated settlement traces spread across the hilly terrain of Ilam, Beshunai, Malakpur, Pir Baba, and adjacent localities. This article synthesizes all available archaeological data from the documented survey, focusing specifically on Buddhist-period sites — Kafero Dherai Stupa, Ramanrai, Gogai Stupa, the three Bangosar Carvings, Ilam Kalai, Alaksar, and Gogai Stupa. The study highlights their geographical settings, structural characteristics, architectural typologies, state of preservation, and their significance within the Buddhist cultural sphere of Buner. Through comparative analysis with other regional monuments, especially those of Swat, the article situates these sites chronologically and culturally within the broader landscape of Uddiyana, Gandhara and Kushan-period Buddhism.

Square and Rectangular Shaped Water Wells Reported from District Buner, Pakistan

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

An archaeological survey was conducted by the first two authors in District Buner, during which they documented numerous sites spanning from the Pre-Buddhist era to the Islamic period. Notably, square and rectangular-shaped water wells were discovered at Lanḍisar (Gāṛ), Kachkol Paṭai, Sorai, and Kuhidara. Circular wells have been a common feature throughout human history due to their ease of excavation, cost-effectiveness, and the circular shape creates even pressure on its inner walls to maintain maximum structural strength. In contrast, the construction of square and rectangular wells is relatively less common. Non-circular wells require more labour, precise construction techniques, and they are more expensive to manufacture. It is likely that these square and rectangular-shaped water wells were commissioned under the patronage of the royal authorities of that era, showcasing the economic and technological power of the ancient society that once inhabited modern-day Buner.

Amorini in context: A fresh study of their form and function in the collection of Lahore Museum

Zainab Sabri — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper focuses on the Gandhara art collection of Lahore Museum and examines the motif of the amorini, its iconography and role in different sculptural contexts of Buddhist art and architecture. The paper first addresses the acquisitional history of the collection and then describes the figures of amorini and their mythical origins; thirdly, it discusses their functions and shows that they went beyond mere ornamentation. By comparing the Gandhāran amorini with coeval figures on Roman sarcophagi, this research seeks to fill a gap in current scholarship by interpreting the celestial figures of amorini as fundamental actors in funerary spaces and by highlighting their diverse role as adorants and offer-bearers in Buddhism. The study follows a qualitative research methodology and provides graphic documentation of selected artefacts from the Lahore collection. Altogether this paper aims to contribute to the present research on Gandhara school of art and how these mythological themes help us understand the adaptation and mixture of indigenous and foreign elements.

Two Kharoṣṭhī Inscriptions from Takht-i-Bahi

Stefan Baums — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article examines two Kharoṣṭhī inscriptions on architectural elements from Takht-i-Bahi dating to the mid- to late Kushan period, one kept in the Islamabad Museum, the other in the Museum of Art and Archaeology of the University of Missouri. It offers a new interpretation of the Islamabad inscription, identifying the personal names of the donors and clarifying linguistic details of the formula. It then demonstrates that the Islamabad and Missouri inscriptions in all likelihood belonged to the same structure, or to two structures built on the same plan, at Takht-i-Bahi, and were donated by members of the same family.

New perspectives on Kanaganahalli site

Michela Prota — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Kanaganahalli (3rd c. BCE- 3rd c. CE) is a Buddhist archaeological site located on the left bank of Bhima River, in Karnataka. The site was discovered in 1989 and it was excavated by the Bangalore Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India. The main monument from the site is the Great Stupa, known from the inscriptions as Adhālaka-Mahācaitya. This paper first aims to provide a re-elaboration of the archaeological analysis of the monument, based on the available data, in order to define the structure and chronological features of the Kanaganahalli Mahā Caitya. A specific attention is given to the symbolic value of the monument, explored through the juxtaposition of real and perspectival architectural elements. In particular, the study underlines the importance of the railing (vedikā), and of the pillars (stambhas). These two elements, recurring both in the real architecture and in the decorative apparatus of the Mahā Caitya, contribute clearly in defining real and imaginary spaces that characterize the monument. Finally, in order to understand the complexity of the structure of Kanaganahalli Mahā Caitya and to remark its importance in the Buddhist overview of the time, the contemporary Saidu Sharif Stupa, located in the Swat Valley, is taken into account and used as comparative paradigm.

Economic Administration of Swat State: A Study of Ushar Collection during Sayyid Abdul Jabbar Shah’s Rule (1915-1917)

Jalal Uddin , Abdul Basit Mujahid — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This research article examines the early state-building efforts of Sayyid Abdul Jabbar Shah during his reign in Swat (1915-1917), with a particular focus on his introduction and institutionalization of ushar—a tithe on agricultural produce. Drawing upon archival sources and historical analyses, the study situates his taxation policies within the broader context of Swat State’s transition from tribal fragmentation to a state formation. It studies Abdul Jabbar Shah’s initiatives and the considerable resistance from various tribal factions, revealing the persistent tensions between traditional autonomy and centralized authority. The study also critically focuses on lack of institutional infrastructure that undermined the long term viability of his system. While Abdul Jabbar Shah’s tenure was brief and ultimately unsuccessful in institutionalizing a durable fiscal regime, this article argues that his initiatives laid the foundational groundwork for the more systematic and effective tax administration developed under his successors, the Walis of Swat.

A Comprehensive Overview of the Urban Development of Samarkand (Zeravshan River Valley)

Carla Biagioli — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper is a study of the evolution of the urban pattern and architectural development of Samarkand as an oasis city. Drawing on archaeological data, historical sources, cartographic analysis, and urban morphology studies, this paper examines the city’s development from pre-colonial and medieval configurations through Russian imperial rule and Soviet urban planning, up to the post-independence period. The analysis highlights how successive political regimes imposed distinct urban models onto the city, often changing earlier spatial logics while selectively preserving monumental heritage. These interventions transformed the medina, altered the traditional neighbourhood structures (mahallas), and introduced a Russian and subsequently, socialist planning system, including radial avenues, monumental axes, and microrayon based housing estates. While these interventions modernised infrastructure and facilitated tourism, they also contributed to the fragmentation of historic urban fabric and the displacement of local populations. The paper argues that Samarkand's current urban challenges, particularly those related to heritage conservation, water management and tourism development, require integrated urban regeneration strategies that balance preservation, social vitality and sustainable development. This will ensure that the historic city remains a living urban environment rather than a static monument.

In Memoriam (2000-2025) A Problematical Toilet-tray from Uḍegrām

Maurizio Taddei† — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The so-called “toilet trays” are particularly important for the genesis of Gandharan figurative art. These objects are characterized by a figurative part and concave divisions. These small plates, most probably “libation trays” (Falk 2010), are associated to urban contexts dated from mid-1st century BCE to mid/end-1st century CE. After this date, their production ceased. This chronological limit is particularly important because it coincides with the end of the Saka-Parthian kingdoms and the beginning of control of the territory by the Kushana imperial power. H.-P. Francfort (1979) distinguished these trays into three main types: type A: “Hellenizing,” type B: “Parthian,” type C: “Indian,” or rather “Indo-Scythian” (Lo Muzio 2002, 2011, 2018). The tray presented in this article (type C) belongs to the latter category. Made of gray chlorite schist, it dates back to the 1st century BCE in Uḍegrām (UD 370). The plate has nine partitions, with the central square that features three male busts facing forward. In front of them hang what appear to be banquet tablecloths, but which Taddei interprets as lotus petals. Although dated sixty years ago, the article is an extraordinary gem of insight and acumen by Maurizio Taddei, who was always attentive to the archaeological context and Eurasian models with an eclectic and disciplined eye, but above all gifted with a visual memory for ancient art in general (not only Gandharan or Indian) with expertise that fully encompassed 14th-century Tuscany. [LMO] 1

The Cultural Geography of Kot Dijians on the Indus and Beyond: A Comparative Analysis of Kot Diji and Sarai Khola Pottery Assemblages

Mehar Ali, Zaheer Ahmad Shaikh, Rashid Ali — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Kot Diji culture refers to the prehistoric people of the Indo-Pak subcontinent, predating the urban Harappan (Indus Valley) Civilization. This is called the pre Harappan period, which began around 3300 BCE and continued until 2800-2600 BCE. It was first identified at the site of Kot Diji in 1958, with a distinguished craft and technological sophistication, and a simple but standardized living style with homes made mainly of stone and mudbrick. The ceramic style differs from that of the Harappans, with commonly thin, lightweight, short-necked, short-rimmed vessels, wide black colour bands on the neck, community ovens, and fortifications. Moreover, until the 1970s, the geographical limits of the Kot Dijian occupation were considered to be in Sindh. But now, throughout the Indus region and beyond, the Kot Dijian occupation has been discovered, for example, at Burzahom, Kashmir; Kunal, Haryana; Gujarat; Cholistan; Baluchistan; Tuchi Gomal in the Gomal Valley; and Sindh. This essay relies on pottery specimens from the Kot Diji and Sarai Khola sites because, based on regional variation, the same period and culture spread across a large landmass with various geographical and ecological zones, exploiting its resources. Now, in this paper, we are comparing this cultural expansion to the wider limits, ever happened to any culture before the existence Kot Dijians.

Review: Rafiullah Khan ed. (2025) Princely Archaeologies and Plural Sovereignties in Modern South Asia. Archaeopress, Oxford

Luca M. Olivieri — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The scientific output on South Asia in the fields of archaeology and ancient history is colossal. Especially in the last 15 years, the number of publications articles, (whether or proceedings—so increased many!) exponentially. books, conference has Until around 2000 it used to be the researcher’s job, and a point of honor, to keep up to date by frequenting libraries, especially the ‘new arrivals’ sections, ordering books from catalogs received by mail, keeping handwritten lists of works to order, and subscribing to the most important journals... It was a meticulous, careful task, on which the scholar’s entire work and prestige depended. There was nothing worse than being caught out by a colleague in writing, or—worse still—during a public discussion, for not having cited this or that publication out of ignorance. The journals to be consulted could be counted on the fingers of two hands, new books appeared at a rate of two or three a year, sometimes less, sometimes none. What was written and published was intended to be valid for years and years, and scholars often waited decades before publishing their data, because they were always attentive to revisions, revisions of revisions, corrections of revisions... Always with the idea of writing something ‘definitive’. Today, it’s the opposite. Every month, at least 10 works of some importance to the discipline are published, and every year at least an half a dozen books are published, designed more as ‘instant books’, with partial data and interpretative models thrown into the air like the Albionian arrows in Shakespeare’s Battle of Agincourt. Not to mention the new journals: at least two or three new journals a year from the most remote corners of the globe with increasingly long and obscure titles. All indexed: you exist because you are certified. You are certified, therefore you are valid (regardless of what you write!). Barrage fire, paper artillery (not paper: digital bites!) obscuring the clear sky of science and knowledge. Background noise rather than harmonies of thought. “Sorry, I didn’t see it!”, “You didn’t send it to me,” “Was it online?” These are now the excuses of researchers, who have become deaf to the excessive noise of the artillery.