DERA GHAZI KHAN: A team of the Punjab University Department of Archeology joined the excavation project at mount Dillu Roy, a rich archaeological site spread over an area of 434 Kanal on the border of tehil Kot Chutta of Dera Ghazi Khan district and tehsil Jampur of Rajanpur district.

The site is considered to be the biggest reported settlement belonging to Gupta and Mughal period.

Archeology Department Chairman Dr Muhammad Hameed is supervising the team of professionals for excavation.

According to initial observation of antiquities/objects collected from surface and during excavation, the site could be a centre of Buddhist civilisation in Punjab like Sirkap city in Taxila, said press release issued by the PU.

“Significance of the site in context of Gandhara Civilisation and its extension to south Punjab shall be understood in a better way through the present archaeological excavation,” it added.

Punjab Directorate of Archaeology Southern Circle Deputy Director Muhammad Hassan is heading the excavation project.

The PU Department of Archaeology is sharing its expertise in the field of archaeological digging, documentation and handling of antiquities and learning survey techniques with the department in their field project.

With the launch of the excavation project earlier this month, the archaeologists are hopeful of making new discoveries at the Dillu Roy mount.

Original area of the city is wide but at this time wall is being constructed around 44 kanal remaining ruins of the lost city, which had four watch towers that were demolished by the local farmers.

According to the reports, when the city was thriving, one portion of the Indus river used to flow on its western side. At present, the river flows far away in the east of the city ruins.

The visitors to the ruins often found antique items from the ruins soon after rains and countless priceless antique items have been collected by the farmers who used to sell them to visitors. Weight bars similar to those found from Mohehjo-Daro were found from the ruins besides terracotta and ash pots.

The city was divided into two parts. One part comprised a fort that a grain house in it while the second part comprised residential area and markets. There is a plain between the fort and the residential area where one can see the ruins of wells.

When the media visited the archaeological site, Dr Ghulam Muhammad, one of the members archaeologists involved in excavation, said that during the excavation they had found 2,100 years old antique items, probably belonging to the Kushan era .

He further maintained that team had found six kilns and coins . He said a museum would also be established at the site .

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2020