ROKHRI THE FORGOTTEN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

  

 25-02-2017

32°39'43.94"N, 71°30'32.28"E

A while back, encroachments of the Indus River on the Mianwali plain revealed and subsequently submerged masses of stones at a depth of about 10 to 15 feet below the surface of the high bank. In 1868, before the river could fully wash away the exposed remains, it receded, and at Rokhri, several heads made of plaster-like material and a mutilated figure of a human body, also made of similar material, were discovered. Additionally, a quantity of copper coins, pottery fragments, and ivory were found. These ruins consisted of parts of two circular walls made of stone blocks and large, well-shaped burnt bricks, covered with a layer of white plaster, some of which were adorned with delicate gold scrollwork. The statues found at the site had features that resembled Greek art more than Hindu art, indicating a possible Greek influence. Similar findings, including old coins, bricks, masonry remains, large earthen vessels, and clay pipes used as aqueducts, have been made in the vicinity during the excavation of small wells for saltpeter production. All these findings suggest that there was once a prosperous town at this location.

During my visit to Rokhri earlier this year, I observed that nothing remained at the site except signs of a mound covered with pottery fragments. My host, a resident of Rokhri village, shared interesting stories about treasure hunters who used to dig in the dark. They once caught a thief who had a Buddha statue head in his possession. Additionally, during the rainy season, villagers found pieces of gold at the site.

A comprehensive research work on Rokhri by Dr. Saifur Rehman Dar and Ms. Humera Alam, published in the Lahore Museum Bulletin of 1990, was shared with me by my archaeological friend, Mr. Arslan Yousfi. The research work provides valuable information about Rokhri, which I have summarized below.

"In Gazetteer of District Mianwali published in 1915. In 1925, Madho Sarup Vats gave some more information about the site alongwith a beautiful photograph of another stupa in the Annual Report of the Archaelogical Survery of India. In 1937 Sir Aurel Stein published the results of his visit to Rokhri in his report entitled, “Archaeological Recononnaissances in North West India and South Eastern Iran. In 1953 Ingholt published six pieces for Rokhri with brief description of each head. 

We are not sure how many sculptures were originally received from Rokhari and how and by whom the collection was brought to Lahore Mueseum. But it certainly started reaching here more than hundred years back through the courtesy of Mr. Priestly and Sir Alexander Cunnigham. The available old record of Lahore Museum does not speak much about this collection. It only mention the two lots of stucco sculptures received from Rokhri first in January, 1869 and second in March, 1869. These were sent to Lahore Mueseum  by Mr. R. Egerton and Mr. Priestly rewspectively. The same year a collection of Indo-Schthian and early Mohammadan coins were also reported from the same site, but in difficult to locate them now in the collection of Mueseum. Details of the stuccos have no been given in the avialble record. Even the number of pieces has not been mentioned though we are certain that such numbers were allotted and marked on individual pieces Cunningham has referred to a few inventory numbers, togethers with sketchs of only four heads published in his report. These numbers are 168, 298,510, 517. He also give an abstract classified list of thirty four sculptures as follow:-

Eight head of Buddha

Ten heads of laymen

One large center of Acanthus capital

Two dentile, one with vermilion in hollows

Five lion heads

Four small figures and arms, half-life size

One small body

One four-armed body holding fish

Chandigarh Museum Catalogue of Gandhara Sculptures give a list of six sculptures from Rokhri  Serial Nos. 162, 164, 168, 186, 197, and 298. A few other inventory numbers have given in Ingholts Gandharan Art in Pakistan.

These are 529 544 574 and 575 . Big gaps between different inventory numbers indidcate that the collection had been received in Lahore Mueseum in several inhsalments even before Cunninghams report referred to above.

Lahore Muesum possesses quite a sizeable collection of stucco sculptures from unnamed sites. Therefore when I started compiling the catalogue of Rokhri sculpture in Lahore museum. Precise identification of Rokhri sculpture was a big problem. Therefore sequence of the free inventory number just quoted and the and classifying has been my sole criterian  while picking up Rokhri Sculptures  and classifying them in the manner in which this catalogue is presented here. No quite possible that there might have been included some sculptures from some other site or excluded one or more pieces from Rokhri. The main purpose of this paer is to introduce and peresnt this material to the readers for future study.

Among thirty four pieces of Cunninghams list. I was able to locate only 23 head in our collection at present. This collection was divided and shifted to other museums after 1947. The number of pieces in National muesuem Karachi is not known whereas six of these sculptures from Rokhri were transferred to the Chandigarh muesem in india in 1947( 162 164 168 186 and 198). Among these five are Stucco heads of five are stucco head of Buddha and one a schist panel depicting Dipankara Jataka. Incindently this is the only source which indicates that a Gandharqa stoen sculpture was also found from the site of Rokhri. Whether it is a mistake of the compiler of the Chandigarh Museum Catalogue or factual postion. We are not sure, No earlier printed sources has mentioned this thing, The available record of the Lahore Museum is also silent on the issue. Besides Mr. M.S. Vats discovered from the site two terra-cotta figures- a mailed head of foreigner and a tine kushana figure. There identification and present location are also not known.

Related Architectural Remains

From Cunninghams Report we come to know that two concentric walls were found at the site along with two brick pillars outside the outer wall, from wehre those sculptures were collected. The circular measurement of these wall are given in Punjab Government Gazetteer. Which says that inner was 25 feet and outer one 38 feet. The distant between two walls is not given Cunningham concludes that the diameter of the inner circle about 24 feet  and outer circle about 40 feet, leaving a clear space between 8 feet. He took the inner wall to be the base of the stupa and the outer wall that of the surrounding circular enclosure. He thinks the dimensions, though rather small are comparable to the other existing stupa at Takht-i-Bahi and Jamalgarhi. The two circular wall were constructed of large brick shaped blocks of concrted. The whole site was excavated down in the water level. Where the base of the wall were also reached.

In 1925 Mr. M.s Vats was informed by Mr. T.F. cooke, Superintendent of Police, Mianwali that a stupa to the North of village of Rokhri about half mile from the large mound has been exposed by floods. While describling this stupa Mr. Vats writes;-

“Early in August, 1925 the stupa was under water upto the base moulding of the drum and one of four steps seen on my visit on the 5^th October were then visible. A seated headless figure of Buddhisattva is in the niche on the west and is perhaps wearing amulets on the upper part of his arms, but there is nothing correspohnding  to it on the north and east sides, which are exposed. The drum of the stupa is on two tiers, the circumference in each case being divided by Cornthian pilasters into a number of shallow homogenous niches.  In fron of the Bodhisattva niche referred to above, is a fligt of steps by means of long stick, there are about 14 of them altogether. Taking this number to be approximately correct, the floor level of stupa would be about 10’-6’’ below the top steps as the reser are 9inch high. The upper part of the square plinth is relieved by a modilition and a dentil  cornice about and below a tours moulding . These are remarkably well finished in lime plaster which mush have been applied all over the stupa, as large lime plaster which must have been applied all over the stupa, as large patches of it are still visible over the drum and the dome. The whole fabric is built of kanjur stone quarried from the neighbouring hill of Sakesar, some 20 miles east of mianwali. But over the south-west corner of the plinth is a subsidiary and later brick stupa visible by the side of man seen in the photograpAh.

Assuming that the plan is regular, the portions now visi ble indicate that the plinth is 35’ square and diameter of the drum 23’, so that even if there be no miniatures in the court now under water, the stupa is of a fairly large size. On stylistic grounds it may be assigned to Kushan period. The depth to twhich the stupa is pernnianlly under water incidently furnishes as interesting testimony to the consdierabley lower bed of the Indus about the beginning of the Christian era.

At Rokhri , I secured from the villagers two typical terra cotta figures, one is the mailed head of foreigner with a long drawin face, knitted everbrows, blazxing eyes and fearful moustaches. He wears lng ear pendants. The other is a tiny Kushan figure, seated in European fashion and holding something in the hollow of his hands. The reverse shows Kushans drapery more clearly.

The stupa and portions of ancient site referred to the above would probably repay excavation but the only danger is that, if the river retains its present fury , the site itself may be gradually washed away. In the present conditions excavations of the stupa would only precipitate destruction of fabric.

From these two accounts by Cunningham and Vats it is quite clear that they are describing two different stupas, may be quite close to or at some distance from each other. The stupa containing the under discussion stuccos is now totally washed away while the stupa described by Vats was last mentioned in the list of protected monuments published by Department of Archalogoy Government of Pakistan in 1987. But during my last visit to site, I could not locate it. The above mentioned sources are the only two which throw some light on related architectural remain. What one can assume from these is that Rokhri stupa once containing the sculptures under discussion was not an isolated Buddhist site but part of Buddhist complex which can only be confirmed by extensive survery and excavation at the site. At the moment nothing can be said with certainty.

Iconography & Dating

Theme-wise the sculptures from the site can be classified into two categories

1.  Sculptures purely Buddhist in theme, including heads of Buddha, Bodhisattva and Jataka

           Secular type sculptures including laymen and women heads

Both type show a large variety in workmanship and features including sculptures of very high order and conventional type Buddhas comparable to the Buddha heads from Taxila and quite interesting are the indigenous type portraying the local folks.

Date wiser these sculptures can be placed in between 1^st Century to 5^th or even 6^th Century A.D. Whetere the4 site was occupied continuously from 1^st to 5^th century or even a little later is difficult to say, because sometimes a variety of style and technique has been found at single period at site. But still on stylistic ground the sculpture from Rokhri may be assigned to different periods.

The heads against catalogue no. 5, 6, 7, 8 are very much Hellenistic in style. Specially showing man with conical phyrgian cap is a typical Parthian type. The conical cap is a characteristic of the Parthian dress. PL-IIa is a crude copy of Greek type and PL-II3 is a executed in such a manner which is quite different from the rest of the material being very much western and realistic. The group may be assigned to the Parthian period dated 1^st century A.D.The schist panel depicting  Dipankara Jataka mentioned in the Chandigarh Museum Catlaogue can be placed nowhere-else then in the second half of the 1^st century or 2^nd century A.D. i.e. the Kushana period. The heads against catalogue Nos.15, 16 and 22 are comparable to the heads from Jaulian, Taxila belonging to 4^th century A.D. The beautiful heads with colour applied on different parts for giving prominence are definitely later than the above mentioned heads and can be dated as belonging to 5^th, 6^th century A.D. The same date can be given to the secular type of heads.

Conclusion:-

The site of Rokhri predominant in yielding the stucco sculptures has many affinities with the sites like jaulian, Mohra Moradu, Sirkap in Taxila, Hadda in Afghanistan and recently discovered sites of GArh Mauryan in Hazara District and Haji Shah Morr two kilometer east-south of Mansar camp on G.T. Road near Attock.

All these sites except Hadda are situated on the east of River Indus and the stucco sculptures recovered from these sites are assignable to the group which Sir John Marashall has named as Indo-Afghan School of Art and is dated by him in the 4^th &  5^th Century A.D. 

From the very beginning the Gandhara stuccos are a controversial topic among scholars as some take it as a separate school which flourished in late Gandhara period while others think that it developed side by side stone sculptures.

For solving such problems, the Gandhara stuccos still needs to be studied seriously for which the newly discovered Gandharan sites on the east of the Inuds river offers new directions and dimensions.