Written by: Sirat Gohar Daudpoto
Posted on: December 23, 2024 | 
Labyrinth and Stupa images at Lahut Tar, Mol Valley. (photo by Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro)
What does the cultural landscape mean? Extant cultural features of the people of a specific area, and it is a mixture of cultural elements past and present. What constitutes it are not merely the material elements, but the intangible cultural heritage is also its constituent. For example, the cultural landscape of the Pothohar region of Pakistan includes stone age sites, ancient structures and settlements, religious spaces and monuments, symbolic representations, folklore etc. Cultural landscape: firstly, it is a spatiotemporal phenomenon, such as the mediaeval cultural landscape of Thar or prehistoric cultural landscapes of Pakistan or ancient cultural landscape of Karachi. Secondly the cultural landscape(s) is created through exploration. Thirdly, it constantly changes due to environmental factors and human agencies, an example of Karachi’s cultural landscape. Some ancient human settlements that were once visible in Karachi’s landscape are now extinct or visible only in part, but living in the local memory of the area are part of it. However, the ones that have disappeared materially and also from the memory of the local people does not count. In both cases, we see, there is a change, for something is disappearing from the cultural landscape, tangible or intangible. The most urgent thing is to ensure its protection for ourselves and for the future generations. Cultural landscapes have great significance to us. It is our responsibility to protect the environment we live in.
A menhir at Malmari
Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro’s book “Ancient Karachi: Reflections on Rock Art and Megaliths”, is about the cultural landscape of the Karachi region of Pakistan. It is Kalhoro’s second book on the heritage of Karachi; his first book titled “Rock Art of Karachi” was published in 2020. In this book, the author has drawn a picture of the ancient cultural landscape of Karachi using the information, evidence and local knowledge which he gathered during his long explorations in the region. Mainly focusing on the megalithic structures and rock art sites, it is organized into an introduction and eight chapters with a color map and photographs of sites. The first four chapters are on the rock art, carvings and paintings, in Karachi and the fifth, sixth and seventh chapter is about the megalithic structures, and the eighth chapter is the conclusion. It also includes a glossary of terms which help readers understand the terminology used for words related to rock art and megaliths.
Map showing the distribution of rock art and megalithic sites in Karachi.
First chapter of the book is about the discovery of rock paintings in Karachi. The second is on the cup-marks (or cupules) in Gadap Taluka of the Karachi district. Third chapter is written on the stone engravings of animal tracks and human footprints and the fourth chapter discusses the depictions of Buddhist stupas in rock art of Karachi. Chapter five is about the megaliths of Karachi and chapter sixth on the dolmens of Karachi. The seventh discussed the megalithic art of Sindh in global perspective focusing on the megaliths of Karachi and also discussing the megaliths in Europe.
Stone row at Yar Muhammad Kanaro, Burfat Village
The details of the book are as follows:
Name of book: Ancient Karachi: Reflections on Rock Art and Megaliths
Author’s name: Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro
Photographs: Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro
Publisher’s name: Dr. N.A. Baloch Institute of Heritage Research, Jamshoro, Culture, Tourism, Antiquities Department, Government of Sindh
Year of publication: 2024
Pages: 139
Price: PKR 2000
Back cover (with the photo of Rock Painting in Maher Valley)
Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro’s “Ancient Karachi: Reflections on Rock Art and Megaliths” is written in the framework of cultural landscape(s). It contributes to our understanding about Karachi’s cultural heritage, particularly the description, location and current state of the megalithic structures and rock art. I believe this book will greatly benefit the future research on the region, and it will also be a very useful tool for the cultural heritage managers of Sindh in the preservation and management of the sites in Karachi.
A menhir near Jungshahi Baba shrine
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