LAHORE, Aug 26: Most of the 153 objects seized by the Customs Department in Lahore last week are said to be around 6,000 years old. The consignment was booked as kitchen and table wares for the BC Galleries in Melbourne, Australia.

The articles recovered include prehistoric human figurines, animal carving, pottery, terracotta and few statues of Buddha.

After a thorough inspection, the Federal Archaeology Department officials claim that most of the antiquities belong to Mehrgarh in Balochistan. The ritual pots and terracotta belong to Nul located near Naushero Feroze in Sindh. However, they claim that about 10 statutes of Buddha turned out to be fake.

The archaeological site of Mehrgarh, spreading over some 250 hectares on the west bank of the Bolan River, is believed to be one of the earliest human settlements on earth. Mehrgarh contains the earliest evidence for the domestication of plants and animals in South Asia and the beginning of sedentary lifestyle.

Furthermore, the development of early food production and the creation of semi-sedimentary settlements at Mehrgarh laid the subsistence and social base from which the Indus cities emerged.

The exposed structures and buildings within the excavation trenches have been covered with plastic sheets. There is no conservation plants and only one watchman has been deputed to look after the open excavated trenches.

Federal Archaeology Department Director Saleemul Haq admits that illegal excavation is on the rise in Mehrgarh. Since a French team is busy in excavation, influential people of the area have realized the importance of the antiquities.

He points out that they (the French) used to hire labourers against nominal rates to excavate huge areas and found invaluable artifacts after great labour of months. Mr Haq says there is no check on illegal excavation due to shortage of staff.

The check on illegal digging at various sites of the country is not possible without the help of the district governments, he adds. According to a Customs official, the consignments comprising antiques are usually smuggled abroad in connivance with the department's officials.

A major consignment of 350 objects, mostly statues of Buddha, had been seized at the Faisalabad Dry Port during the last several years. Curator Muhammad Afzal says the Customs department hardly asks the officials of the archaeology department to check the suspected consignment. Not a single person involved in smuggling of antiques to abroad has been arrested during the last decade, the curator claims.