Archaeological sites preservation urged

Published on 7 January 2011

Author(s): The International News-Saadia Khalid

Type:  News

Archaeology is of paramount importance to the history and culture of modern Pakistan

The importance of archaeology in the history and culture of Pakistan besides lingering danger of its defacing were highlighted in a conference organised by the American Institute of Pakistan Studies in collaboration with Department of Archaeology and Museums.

The conference focused on preservation and conservation of archaeological sites and monuments that exist in Pakistan. The archaeologists presented their papers about the history of archaeology in Pakistan, cultural heritage of Sindh and Balochistan, challenges of preserving and presenting the past in the present, heritage education at universities, archaeology and cultural heritage training and recent surveys of historic monuments.

“Archaeology is the study of past human societies, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material and environmental data including artefacts, architecture, bio-facts and cultural landscapes, found during excavations,” said Director General Department of Archaeology and Museums Dr Fazal Dad Kakar.

He briefed that the archaeology studies human history from the discovery of stone tools dating back to million of years to the present. The land where Pakistan is situated today had been the seat of world’s leading civilisations from the time immemorial. Evidence from the pre-historic and historic periods provides concrete evidence of different phases on human cultural development in the region, he said.

He informed that archaeology is of paramount importance to the history and culture of modern Pakistan, during the colonial era, significant progress was made, when remains of the Indus Valley civilisation were unearthed in Pakistan.

He said that the discovery of first historic and Greek cities at Taxila and the Gandhara art and architecture in the cast areas encompassing large parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Taxila valley added much to our history and culture. However, the most startling discoveries through archaeological researches came after the independence.

Dr J Mark Kenoyer, President American Institute of Pakistan Studies, Madison, said that two most important goals of archaeology and cultural heritage management is to study archaeological remains in order to better understand the history of human culture and to endeavour to preserve the record of human culture for the future generations to study.

“Recovering the information about the past involves excavation and documentation of ancient sites, followed by conservation, analysis and interpretation of the artefacts recovered from the excavations,” he said.

He highlighted that there are numerous challenges they face due to limited resources, preservation of the archaeological remains, priorities of various institutions and human biases. “Contemporary archaeological approaches to excavations and cultural heritage management are designed to meet these challenges with rigorous methodologies and interpretive frameworks,” he added.

During various sessions of the conference, speakers discussed how museums and site management can become more focused on outreach and education and to present new and innovative ways to conserve both sites and artefacts.

As many as twenty-six leading scholars from Pakistan and ten from US have been invited to present their new findings while all of these scholars have been involved in recent excavations and research on earlier excavations.
 

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