Written by: Maryam Mansoor
Posted on: February 20, 2020 | 
| 中文
Chaunkhandi Necropolis (photo credits to the writer)
It is often overlooked in popular Pakistani imagination, but Sindh is home to a collection of mysterious and ancient tombs which speak of the land’s vibrant and rich history, and the communities which initially settled there. The Chaukhandi Necropolis in particular, located about 29 KM away from Karachi, is home to more than 600 ancient graves. The graves in the cemetery are known to belong to the Sindhi Jokhio and Baloch tribes.
Historical and oral records of the graveyard trace the origins of the Chaukhandi tombs to the fourteenth century, and the graveyard was used for burial purposes until the mid-20th century. Graves at Chaukhandi are constructed using yellow sandstone, a special kind of rock which is said to be transported to location from Jung Shahi, a railway station near Thatta, Sindh. Thatta is also known for the historic Makli and the lesser-recorded Oongar Necropolis. Although the structures in all these cemeteries are quite similar, there seems to be no evidence to suggest that they are connected to each other.
Close up of the Tombstone Carvings (photo credits to inspirock)
The meaning of the word ‘Chaukhandi’ has been largely contested by various scholars. While some insist that it refers to a town near Karachi, others have tried to interpret the literal meaning of the word and referred to it as a “four walled closure”, or a grave having four corners, a key feature of the site’s architectural style.
Archeologists and anthropologists have tried to decipher the social organization of the kind of societies which would bury their dead in Chaukhandi. Some graves within the area are isolated tombstones, while others have been placed in family compounds. A few graves are elevated, which symbolizes the higher status of leaders of the tribe or community. These graves are also additionally separated from the others and enclosed in structures with domes or tilted slabs with unique geometric patterns on them. Tombs belonging to those higher up the social hierarchy, are elevated to around four to six feet. Other notable graves have been covered in stones and are on the ground, which suggest that they may belong to the less influential people of the tribe.
Elevated Tombs called 'Turban of Chaukhandi' (photo credits to atlasobscura)
The geometric patterns and intricate stone carvings on each tombstone exhibit a rich and extensive artistic discipline. The graves of men are typically engraved with weapons, showcasing figures of warriors and horses. Meanwhile, the graves of women are engraved with jewelry, like rings, necklaces and amulets. The craftsmen who designed the graves also often inscribed their names onto the tombs, and one can locate different designs of the same artist. Some tombs have inscriptions of verses from the Quran, while others have etchings of animals and birds on them.
Scholars have noted that certain symbols on the graves coincide with tribal symbols or motifs, the most common being hunter motifs of the Jokhio or Baloch tribes; this suggests that both tribes were nomadic hunter tribes.
Detailed Jokhio Carvings (photo credits to The Vintage News)
According to Sheikh Khurshid Hassan, who had served as the Director of the Department of Archaeology, and had extensively researched the Chaukhandi tombs, the British were largely perplexed to find these scattered ancient gravesites, all facing the city of Mecca. Chaukhandi was first mentioned in a letter to the chief commissioner of Sindh, Henry Bartle Frere (the namesake of Frere Hall, Karachi) in 1851. But it wasn’t until 1917 that H.D. Baskerville, Assistant Collector of Thatta, first came across and recorded the existence of these graves. However, Hassan did not publish work on the site until the late 70s and early 80s.
There remains a dearth of information and research about the tombs, their history, significance and what the individual motifs symbolize. Inadequate attention to the maintenance of these gravesites (not just Chaukhandi) pose a serious threat to any potential leads. While Chaukhandi was added to the tentative list of UNESCO heritage sites in 1993, the tombs have neither been conserved nor protected by police. The neglect of the tombs by the relevant authorities has allowed for several stones and parts of graves to be stolen or lost to decay. Recent times have seen people illegally buried in the graveyard, despite a rule against fresh burials there. The caretaker of the tombs lamented the lack of government effort to conserve the area, and to ensure the safety of the graves.
An Intricately Engraved Tombstone
Each grave in Chaukandi tells a story and preserves a legacy in the same way which people today wish to preserve their families’ legacies. It is a shame that the federal government has not done enough to ensure the conservation and protection of an important historical site, that not only adds to the historical archives of Sindh, but also serve as repositories of culture, architecture and history for the whole country.
You may also like:
