DADU: A joint team of French archaeologists and local experts have unearthed open drains and structure of houses at Chanhu Jo Daro similar in design to those found in Mohenjo Daro. They also discovered a number of beads and bangles, among various artefacts.

The French mission led by David Sarmiento Castillo and Pakistani experts headed by Zahida Quadri, are busy with excavation work at this Indus Civilisation site situated in Jam Keerio village at a distance of 19 kilometres from Nawabshah.

“The mound of Chanhu Jo Daro is easier to excavate than that of Mohenjo Daro,” said Ms Quadri.

“Mohenjo Daro has stupa and other surfaced structures hence its excavation is not easy but Chanhu Jo Daro has only a mound and its excavation is going on smoothly,” she explained.

She said that fossils of animals had been found during excavation which would help identify the domesticated animals employed by the residents of the ancient town. “It looks Chanhu Jo Daro had remained a centre of export as a huge number of beads found at the site were probably used in jewelry and other ornaments,” said Manzoor Ahmed Kanasaro, director general of culture, tourism, archaeology and antiquity department.

Experts say designs of houses and drains surfacing in Chanhu Jo Daro resemble those at nearby archaeological site

“Discovery of sharp instruments and cutters used for cutting beads indicated that this site had remained a central place of the export of pearls, jewelry and ornaments,” said Kanasaro.

“The structure of houses and uncovered drains are similar to those found at Mohenjo Daro,” said French experts, adding that a huge number of artefacts and bangles worn by women were also found.

Sindh Minister for Culture, Tourism and Archaeology Syed Sardar Ali Shah said that the joint team of French and local archaeologists had found an uncountable number of artefacts at Chanhu Jo Daro.

He said that in addition to ongoing work at Chanhu Jo Daro, Directorate General of Antiquities and Archaeology in collaboration with its foreign partners and Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Auqaf and district administration concerned had in October last year trained a team of 25 individuals recruited from local community to carry out preservation work at Makli necropolis. This team was also working dedicatedly to preserve monuments at Makli necropolis, he said.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2023