Excavation at ancient Mansura (Birhamanabad) site to resume in early2027

SANGHAR(Hasnain Ashiq Saand) Excavation and archaeological research at the ancient Mansura-Brahmanabad site in Sindh are set to resume in early 2027 under a joint initiative of the Sindh Archaeology and Antiquities Department and an Italian archaeological mission, with efforts also under way to seek World Heritage status for the historic site.

Head of the Sindh archaeology department’s excavation team Zahida Qadri and Italian mission archaeologist Dr Alessandro Tilia told the media that a long-term research project would focus on the history, cultural phases, urban structure and archaeological layers of the ancient city. The project is being pursued under the supervision of Prof Dr Luca Maria Olivieri of the Italian Institute for Middle and Far East (IsMEO).

Dr Tilia said Mansura was an important archaeological site not only in Sindh but across the region. He said the objective of the project was not merely to discover artefacts, but to scientifically understand the different periods of the ancient city, its urban development and cultural continuity, and preserve the remains.

He stressed the need for cooperation from the local administration and communities to protect the site. He said road construction, agricultural activities, encroachments and the movement of livestock around the archaeological site could damage the remains and potentially make long-term research difficult.

Dr Tilia appealed to the local administration and residents to treat the protection of Mansura as a collective responsibility and avoid activities within and around the site that could affect its archaeological remains. He said the Italian mission would work with the Sindh Archaeology and Antiquities Department on research, documentation and conservation.

Ms Qadri said the Italian archaeological mission had been working at Bhambore for nearly 15 years and was now expanding its research programme to Mansura. Initial surveys and mapping had identified agricultural activity, roads and other human interventions in different parts of the site.

She said detailed mapping and a study of the archaeological layers would form a key part of the project, helping researchers determine the nature of settlements established at the site during different periods and identify the cultural remains beneath the ancient city.

Citing the example of Bhambore, Ms Qadri said cooperation from the district administration had helped curb activities that could damage the archaeological site and had facilitated further research. She expressed hope that the district administration, local government, union council and residents would extend similar cooperation in Mansura.

Spread over around 500 acres, the Mansura archaeological site contains remains of an ancient fortification believed to have extended for about seven kilometres. Mansura emerged as an important regional centre during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods and had earlier served as an important settlement and trading centre along the Indus.

Earlier excavations conducted by the federal archaeology department, particularly those led by F.A. Khan during the 1960s, unearthed significant remains of the ancient city. Large bronze door fittings recovered during the excavations are preserved at the National Museum in Karachi, the Islamabad Museum and the site museum administered by the Sindh Archaeology Department.

Ms Qadri said efforts were also being made to have Mansura included in the World Heritage List. She said recognition as a World Heritage site could help attract domestic and international visitors and create opportunities for local economic and commercial activity.