ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: Antiquities of Iron Age, Achaemenian (553-330BC), Greek (321-184BC) and Mauryan (14Bc) periods have been discovered in an excavation from the Greek city of Bhera.

The excavation has been done by Dr M. Salim of Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations, Quaid-i-Azam University.

According to the Institute, the ancient Bhera mounds are known as Barrian, which once flourished on the west bank of the River Jhelum. Recently it was also known as Kot Rajgan and Ahmadabad. Another Mediaeval Bhera near Motorway has Sher Shah Suri Mosque and is a few kilometres from Ahmadabad.

The battlefield of Alexander-Pours appears to be around Jalalpur-Ahmadabad-Mong area. The pottery of 800-600BC has gray ware, red ware and buff ware with red painted designs. A terracotta figure of an elephant has been collected. The Soak wells were made of some 10 feet in height. Such Soak wells and filled with refuse have been found at Bhir Mound at Taxila. When Alexander the Great entered Jhelum Valley, young maidens with shell bangles were filling their pitchers with water from wells and river Jhelum. Further research and excavations can reveal reek stratum with Metropolis centre, coins and Salt Range capital from where salt was exported.

Sir Aurel Stein investigated this site. Cunningham identified old Bhera with the Palace of Sopeithes, where Alexander met his Greek forces. Later the great Chinese traveller, Fa Hien, mentions Bhera in his accounts and Babur in his memoirs. Greek historian Arrian in his Anabasis narrates the palace of Sopeithes.—APP