Evidence Of Gandharan Fashion Ware From Recently Discovered Site At Roṛapindh In Khoshab, Pakistan

Abstract

This research paper offers a study on a site of archaeological importance in the vicinity of village Roṛapindh, Khoshab. The site of Roṛapindh recently explored during academic tours to District Khoshab, is in the lap of Salt Range in Punjab, Pakistan. An opportunity to visit this site in 2018 revealed interesting data to understand the historical significance of this region. In this connection, two more field activities from 2018 to 2020 brought fresh surface information. These collections mainly include a collection of terracotta pottery and other artefacts of archaeological significance. A portion of this data is utilised here with a research objective of dating the site based on the comparative analysis of decorated pottery sherds with various decorative motifs. Therefore, our consideration here is on the art depicted on pottery from this site, which strongly supported us to date the site. This descriptive and analytical work on ceramic art is presented in four parts. First, the geographical location of the District Khoshab concerning the site is mentioned. Second, previous studies on ceramic art with reference to Gandharan Fashion ware are overviewed. Third, a descriptive study of data regarding the works of art on pottery are given to introduce the readership about pottery features. Fourth, an attempt to classify the different artistic expressions is offered, which helps us to extract the conclusion out of the study, and date the site contemporary to other Gandharan sites of the Buddhist period during Indo-Greek and Scytho-Parthian rule and probably continued till the period of Kushano-Sassanians.