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By Khurram Mastikhan
A 9,000-year-old civilization at Mehrgarh was discovered in 1974 by French archaeologists. Declared a heritage site, little has been done by the authorities to preserve it, writes Khurram Mastikhan.
In the catalogue Forgotten Cities on the Indus published by Germany in collaboration with UNESCO, it is written that French archaeologists have concluded that Mehrgarh is more than 9,000-years-old site, making it the oldest civilization. It is 500 years older than the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations. Thus, according to the catalgue the chronology of civilizations in Pakistan, established through the study of Moenjodaro and Harappa, has been pushed back by over 4,000 years.
Mehrgarh is located on the bank of the Bolan River in Balochistan, 140 kms southeast of Quetta. It was discovered by a team of French archaeologists in 1974. Since then, until 2001, they had been carrying out extensive excavations. During the excavations, the archaeologists found a whole range of pottery, figurines, jewellery and skeletons etc.
The habitation of the site has been divided into seven periods, the first being the pre-pottery Neolithic period that dates to 7,000 BC or earlier. The area was abandoned between 2,000 and 2,500 BC during a period of contact with the Indus civilization and then reused as a burial ground for a while after 2,000 BC.
Perhaps the most important feature of Mehrgarh is the fact that one can witness its gradual development from a village society to a regional centre that covered an area of 200 hectares. It was also a centre for various figurines and pottery that were traded with the surrounding regions.
Research shows that people lived in houses and were involved in hunting, domestication of animals and grew barley and wheat. This hunting-farming society developed gradually and also had creative pursuits. During the early period people used stone and bone tools, such as polished stone-axes, flint blades and bone-pointers.
Hand-made pottery appeared in the 6,000 BC and the pottery-wheel was introduced in the 5,000 BC and produced terracotta figurines and pottery with exotic geometric designs.
It is interesting to know, however, that some of the male figurines that have been found at the site had turbans somewhat similar to those worn by the inhabitants of the province today. Reflecting artistic talent and painstaking workmanship, these figurines provide some of the best clues to life in that period.
Ironically, very little information is available on the discoveries at Mehrgarh except for the field reports of Dr Jean-Francois Jarrige and his team that is neither easily available nor easy to understand.
Although it was declared a national monument, it has reportedly been left unattended for three years now. Mehrgarh is also seasonally threatened by the course of the Bolan River. Floodwaters and rains have partially damaged it. The officials of the archaeology department say that the site has been abandoned because of lack of funds.
What matters most is the preservation of the site. The concerned agencies and UNESCO must immediately work to preserve this historical site and save it from vanishing forever. It is very important that the tribes present in Mehrgarh should be taken into confidence before initiating excavations. They should jointly set up a Mehrgarh preservation and research cell so that they not only preserve the site but continue excavating it, thus, informing the world of a more rich history and culture that once existed.
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