THATTA: A joint Pakistan-Italian archaeological mission to Bhanbhore has pitched its camp on the ruins of the site — the city founded probably in 1st century BC and immortalised by Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai — to resume research and seek answers for hitherto unresolved questions about the city and shed new light on Sindh’s rich history.

The mission comprising Simone Mantellini, Alessandro Tilia, Agnese Fusaro and Daniele — from the universities of Milan and Bologna, Italy — Naheed Zohra, director of exploration and excavation at the provincial antiquities department, and others would remain at the month-long camp organised by Sindh culture department to conduct research.

The team initiated fieldwork on the site on Friday to look for remnants of three distinct periods: Scytho-Parthian (1st century BC to 2nd century AD), Hindu-Buddhist (2nd century AD to 8th century AD) and early Islamic period (8th century AD to 13th century AD).

According to archaeologists, the city was gradually deserted in the wake of the 13 century after the Indus changed its course.

A source in the archaeology department who wished not to be named said that the experts would preferably apply their expertise to exploring central part and industrial area of the city near present Bhanbhore museum under which a palace, road and walls — which might date back to 9th to 13th century or even later — were believed to be buried.

The source said the exploration had been launched with financial assistance of the National Research Council of France and in collaboration with the universities of Milan and scientific laboratories of the University of Rome and the government of Sindh.

The team, during its earlier expedition about two years back, had discovered remnants of settlements, human skeletons, sculptures, copper and ivory objects, inscriptions and many other objects, which were believed to date back to the first century BC and early Islamic era.

The source said that during its last visit the team had collected evidence for specific analysis and radio carbon testing to determine the city’s period. “All the things we had unearthed told us about the site and its value system. The existence of artefacts such as shells, glass, wood, ivory, ceramics and metals suggested that the site was once prosperous and might have been a major trading post,” said the source.

The remains of Bhanbhore have kept historians, archaeologists and scholars puzzled for decades and they remain keen to ascertain whether it was a city of romance where epic love story of Sassui and Punhoon unfolded, which was later immortalised by Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, or it was in reality the city of Deybul, which was conquered by Mohammad Bin Qasim in 712 AD.

Situated at a distance of 37 miles to the north of Karachi near Gharo on National Highway, the ruins were first excavated by Ramesh Chandra Majumdar in 1928 and later by Leslie Alcock in 1951. Pakistani archaeologist Dr F.A. Khan conducted extensive studies and excavations on the site from 1958 to 1965, and after a long interval of 47 years the Sindh culture department organised the first international conference on Bhanbhore in March 2012.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2020