Around 2000 BC Pakistan Indus urban system declined & collapsed, the fragmentation of Indus civilization into Regional, & Rural culture developed the bases for post urban phase of Pakistan, for 1500 years the great planned cities of Indus civilization no longer existed.
The scattered evidences of post urban culture are available in all over Pakistan’s different localities. This “Dark ages” dated form 18th – 19th century BC the arrival of Achaemenids in the 6th century BC.
Some sites of Balochistan, Sind & Punjab indicate the new arrival form Iran & Central Asia. The violent destruction of Rana-Ghundai & Dahar Kot in Northern Balochistan shows the fall of Indus civilization & rise of the new Aliens.
In the geometrical discoveries of Shah-i-Tump the copper stamp seals, copper shat-hole axe & painted gray pottery seals, copper pins with spiral loops or mushroom heads, painted pottery with naturalistic & abstract designs in monochrome & polychrome have clear influence form Iran, Caucasus central Asia, Afghanistan & west.
The post-urban phase of Pakistan divided 1st phase 18- 17th century BC. The characteristic of this phase is mud-bricks structures associated with large platform, yielded pottery, hand made coarse painted designs & figurines of Horses & Camels.
The 2nd & 3rd phase (1370-1340 BC) &1000-80 BC respectively carry almost the same tradition as sub phase (18-17th century BC) but the last phase is with same introduction of Iranian influence.
The Indus Harappan Civilization seals & inscription is still on unsolved mystery. Many efforts have been already done & still continued, but unfortunately, it has not been solved. The art of writing in Pakistan Starts with the discovery of the Mauryan inscription.
Today we know that in Pakistan the most popular earliest script was KHAROSHTHI, which was written for right to left. The script was in use for 3rd century BC to 3rd/ 4th century AD. Then this script was replaced by BRAHMI script which was more convenient for the local language with conquest from Arab Muslims, another type of script introduced called Arabic (8th A.D) was introduced.
This script also passes through stages. The earliest was Kufic found at Mansura (Sind) the Tochi valley inscription shows that the Indian scripts were in use side by side with that of the Arabic & Persian script. 5000 different inscriptions have been recorded by Pak-German study group in 1979.
Rock Art in Pakistan
The 1st great discovery of the 19th century in the history of archeological finds of Pakistan an inscribed seal picked up by Alexandra Cunningham from Harappa in 1873. But the recent Landmark discovery is neck-Griddle by a shepherdess. Thousands of rock carving documented in the upper Indus valley.
No wonder rock carving can be found in even other parts of Pakistan geographically speaking the upper Indus of high mountains. This area of Pakistan is a region of impressive mountains consisting Karakoram, Himalaya & Hind-Kush. The river Indus digging a number of deep gorges. Runs first between Haramosh & Karakoram & near Haramosh Indus River, changes its directions to the South. It is crossed by a number of routes, which since at least the 3rd century BC have served as trading link between China, central Asia & the Indo-Pak subcontinent. This mysterious world never have attracted the attention of the orient lists un till the discovery of 30000 carving engraved on the surface of cliffs, rocks & huge boulders found in various localities. This important region which played a backbone role in the commercial & cultural exchange between central Asia & the Indian world was badly ignored.
Coinage in Pakistan
The earliest indigenous coinage found in Pakistan & India were struck in Silver & Copper/ Commonly known as “Punch–Marked Coins” the manufacturing technique of their coin was “Punching with separate pressed dies”.
Muslim Dynasties
Ghazanuids: Islamic coins started from the time of Ghazanvids (of Afghanistan) who detoured the Hind Shahi dynasty. Thin coins are recorded in large number in Pakistan & recently from Gor Khutree site (Peshawar).
Ghaznavids coins are found in two different styles, one is typical central Asai Fabric with Arabic inscription and the other in the Indian style including the horseman with Nagri script.
Ghorids Dynasty: The Ghorids Muslim dynasty came into power and established their rule in India and Pakistan with capital at Dehli.
Slave Dynasty: The Ghorids were fallowed by Slave (Muslim) dynasty, struck his silver “ Tankah” based on Tola weight (96 ratios) and billon of the slave dynasty the Kings 1290-1320 AD (Muslim) dynasty came to power. He introduced the square coins also beside “Tankah”.
Khiljis Dynasty: The Khiljis dynasty fallowed by Muslim Tughlaq, who also followed Ghorids & Slave dynasty 1320-1413 dynasty & he received the total of the “ Prince of moneys” in the history of coins. He made several changes in great variety. His coins falls into deferent group.
The tomb of Muhammad Harun, an Arab governor of Makran in the early years of the 8th century A.D, is regarded to be the earliest Muslim tomb in Pakistan. This brick structure is square in plan and the square chamber is directly covered by a low dome. Externally, each side of the square chamber is divided into two parts.
The upper portion is profusely decorated with various friezes in cut-brick work up to the parapet level, and the lower portion is parceled out vertically into three rectangular panels, each having mud plaster of a later period. Internally the tomb chamber is converted into an octagon by means of simple pendentives beginning from the ground level, which support the dome.
The second specimen in the series is the so-called tomb of Khalid Walid at the village of Khattichaur near Kabirwala. According to the local information, Khalid Walid accompanied the armies of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni to Multan and settled here. The tomb building is flanked by an oblong vaulted chamber on the north and south sides and occupies the center of a large rectangular fortified complex.
The historical inscription on the Mehrab informs us that Khalid Walid tomb complex was built on the order of Ali Bin Karmakh, a governor of Multan under the Ghourid dynasty.
The last example of the series is the tomb of Sheikh Sadan Shaheed, near village Jalaran, on the Muzaffar Garh – Jhang road. This brick tomb is square in plan and is erected on a high platform about two meters above the surrounding ground levels.
Source: Heritage [June 25, 2010]