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Avifauna on the Ceramics of Ketch-Makran, Balochistan, Pakistan

SUNDUS ASLAM KHAN, AURORE DIDIER AND M. ASHRAF Khan

Abstract

The emergence of pottery remains one of the most important subjects in the

archaeological world. Ceramics have provided archaeologists with the data for constructing the

chronologies of cultural shifts. The initial simpler forms of the paleolithic turning into

specialized and richly adorned ceramics can be observed in every culture and civilization, which

works as a script for these ancient periods. The current paper deals with the ceramics from one

of the early periods in Kech-Makran, Balochistan. These ceramics are unique in terms of their

character and representations, depicting flora and fauna of the period. Thus, the authors have

made an effort to study and identify these motifs. Current paper discusses the avifauna depicted

on the ceramics of Ketch- Makran, which in turn sheds light on the fact of existence of these

birds during that era. In this way, an opportunity has been found reconstruct the paleo-

environment of Kech-Makran during 3rd millennium BCE. Presence of these birds also confirms

their long history in the region.

Key words: Paleoenvironment, Kech-makran, Ceramics, Avifauna, Culture, Tradition, Motifs.

Introduction

Ceramic is the most general term, derived from the Greek word keramos, meaning

„burned stuff‟ or „earthenware‟; describes as fired product rather than a clay raw material (Rice,

1987). Historically, ceramics were prepared by shaping clay, decorating it, often glazing it and

firing it at high temperatures in a kiln. However, this definition has now changed. The term

146 PAKISTAN HERITAGE 12 (2020)

ceramics now refers to a diverse group of materials, including cements and glass. While all are

fired at high temperatures, clay is no longer a key component of today‟s ceramics. That is why,

nowadays, the category ceramics technically includes both pottery and porcelain, which, with

their standard formulas, have come to popularly represent quality grades (Manzetti, 2007).

There are three main types of ceramic ware: earthenware, stoneware and porcelain, characterized

according to the clay used to make them, and the temperature requisite to fire them

(Encyclopedia of Art; Manzetti, 2007; Rice, 1987; Parmalee and Harman 1973).

Pottery is also called ceramics or ceramic art. It was the first practical art to emerge

during the Upper Paleolithic, after body painting. (Hopper, 2000). Neolithic pottery was being

practiced in India no later than 5500 BCE, during the Mehrgarh Period II (5500-4800 BCE),

notably in present-day northwest India and Pakistan. The Mehrgarh I culture (7000–5500 BCE)

was aceramic. Pottery developed further during the Merhgarh Period III (4800-3500 BCE), and

especially during the Indus Valley Civilization, which flourished along the Indus and Ghaggar-

Hakra rivers. The Indus Civilization in what is modern-day Pakistan and India was the apex of a

long cultural trajectory that started on the western highlands of Baluchistan and then moved into

the greater Indus Valley (Jarrige et al 1995; Marco Madellaa, Dorian Q. Fullerb, 2006).

Like cave painting, as well as other forms of prehistoric art, the invention and

development of pottery is an echo of social, economic and environmental conditions - many of

which are still poorly understood - and a significant gauge of a society's cultural development.

Moreover, while the first ceramic vessels must have provided Stone Age hunter-gatherers with

several new openings for cooking and consuming foods, we have almost no idea of how early

pots were used, but they have always been an integral part of the earliest cultures to the later

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civilizations, highlighted in their abundant discoveries and the information they delivered

through their manufacturing and the morphologies (Hopper, 2000).

In this paper, the pottery from different sites of Makran has been selected for the study of

painted avifaunal motifs, dated to the 3rd millennia BCE. Although, this pottery has already been

documented and published by Aurore Didier in La Production Ceramique Du Makran

(Pakistan): a L’Age Du Bronze Ancient, but the morphological motifs on the ceramics could not

be researched. Thus, the current paper aims to identify the avifaunal motifs which would help

reconstruct the paleo-environment of Kech-Makran in third millennia BCE. This study would

also serve as a document to make stylistic comparisons of the bird motifs on the pottery of other

neighboring regions throughout the Pre-Indus and later Indus ceramic traditions.

Archaeological Exploration in Kech-Makran

Kech-Makran has long been considered a no man‟s land on the archaeological map of the

Indo-Iranian borderlands, even after sir Aural Stein had conducted a one month archaeological

fieldwork in 1928 in the region. He made surveys and laid a large trench at Shahi Tump. His

fieldwork brought to light for the first time the important cultural heritage of this region,

particularly the ruins of the proto-historic period. Later, the region was again under the veil

despite more intensive research after world war II in Pakistan and its neighboring regions. Kech-

Makran remained little investigated until a new and more comprehensive archaeological program

was initiated by Sir Roland Besenval in late 1980s. This program, the „French Archaeological

Mission in Makran (MAFM)‟ was a cooperative venture of the French National Centre for

Scientific Research (CNRS), The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in France and the

Department of Archaeology and Museums of Pakistan (DoAM). The research program continued

from 1987 to 2007 for twenty years, filling the scientific knowledge gap about ancient cultures

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148 PAKISTAN HERITAGE 12 (2020)

and environment in southwestern Pakistan, particularly, revealing Chalcolithic and Bronze-Age

cultures. These cultures of Kech-Makran were very rich and dynamic in their interactions with

southeastern Iran, the Indus Valley and the Oman Peninsula. The first phase of the mission‟s

program resulted in the discovery of 230 archaeological sites of which some sites are mentioned

in Table.1. Column.no. 4., selected for the study of avifaunal motifs on their ceramics. The

important sites include Miri Qalat, Sotkagen-Dor, Sotka-Koh and Shahi Tump (Didier, 2013;

Didier/ Benjamin, 2015; Besenval, 1994; 2000; 2001).

Miri Qalat, an important site, is located in Southern Balochistan, 6 km north-west of

Turbat on the right bank of Kech River. It was selected for excavation by the French

Archaeological Mission from 1990-1996 (Didier/ Benjamin, 2015). The surface collection and

systematic excavation by R. Besenval has revealed that the site has been continuously occupied

from prehistoric to the Islamic period with few times abandonment. Its cultural materials suggest

that the site was first time occupied in mid-5th millennium BCE (Period I) to the late 3rd

millennium BCE (period IV). After a gap during the 2nd

millennium BCE, the site was re-

occupied from the middle of the 1st millennium BCE (Period V) to 18

th/19

th centuries CE (Period

VIIIc) (Besenval, 1994/ Didier/ Benjamin, 2015).

Ceramic Traditions of Ancient Balochistan

A tradition in cultural or technological perspective can be described as a continuous

pattern or method of basic technologies and cultural systems in a given context of spatial and

temporal progress or continuity (J. Shaffer, 1992). Balochistan tradition has some common

features in its subsistence, habitation, arts and crafts, natural resources and its management

patterns. This phase or era can be categorized as Food Producing and Regional Era (J. Shaffer,

1992; Kenoyer, 1998, 1991; B. and Allchin, 1999). The living patterns in Balochistan were

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149

sedentary and pastoral nomadism, the buildings were made with stones and mud bricks with no

specific planning. These houses were rectangular in shape with different sizes and there is no

evidence that whether these buildings were used for both accommodation and storage purposes.

The subsistence was mainly based upon the agriculture and domestication of animals, this

subsistence strategy was comprised of wheat and barley mostly and animals included cattle,

sheep, goat, water buffalo and at latter stage camel (J. Shaffer, 1992).

The Balochistan Tradition is also unique because of its pottery, and the evolution of

pottery industry can be studied from beginning to advanced level, in terms of material, design

and technology. At early stage, pottery was made in baskets which had no specific shape and

basket marks impressions. As time elapsed, there came change in technique of pottery making

and it underwent a change from simple, rough and handmade pottery to more complex, well

decorated and wheel-turned pottery. Along with change in technique there appeared change in

designing of pottery too, zoomorphic and plant motifs were made along with geometric designs

in monochrome, bi-chrome and polychrome pottery (J. Shaffer, 1992; U. Franke and E. Cortesi,

2015; J.F Jarrige et al 1995). Pottery is a mirror to show the kind of environment those

prehistoric people were living in, which is identified by several scholars through the motifs they

painted on their ceramics. Thus, the authors made an effort to decipher those motifs among

which, the bird motifs are presented here, which would extend the faunal dictionary of the paleo-

environment of Kech-Makran in 4th- 3rd

millennium BCE.

Birds of Balochistan

Before we talk about the bird motifs depicted on the pottery, it‟s important to look at the

avifauna of the region as the painter takes ideas from the things he observes around. Thus, the

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150 PAKISTAN HERITAGE 12 (2020)

already published documents on the avifauna of Baluchistan and adjacent areas help decipher the

bird motifs.

Largely, Pakistan has a rich variety of bird habitats from the dry alpine and moist

temperate forest of the Himalayas to the deserts of Baluchistan and Sindh. This diversity of

environment supports a wide range of bird species, native and migratory. Around 669 species of

birds have been

documented, more than 60% of the country- land lying to the west of the Indus river and south

from Peshawar to the Arabian sea-coasts- is Palearctic in character with a steppic dry montane

habitat and is very different from rest of Indian-subcontinent (Grimmet el al 2008:6).

Pakistan‟s avifauna is thus a fascinating blend of the Palearctic (63.4%) and Oriental

(36.6%), and less than 0.5% are studies as truly cosmopolitan or pan-subtropical (Grimmet el al

2008:6). The invasion of winter visiting birds from north breeding domain, or summer breeding

visitors composed of the Indus Plains and northern mountains to hotter southern latitudes (Ali,

2008; Chaudhry et al 2012, Bibi& Ali, 2013). The Indus basin, which is home to one of the

earliest known civilizations of the world, provided a habitat suitable for a vast variety of birds,

due to its large scale irrigated and cultivated land (Grimmet el al 2008:6).

Among all 669 birds, about 30% visit Pakistan for one year time period, 43% are distant

refugees and Paleoarctic, visiting only for breeding and 28% are routine winter visitors which

breed extra-limitally and mainly in Himalayan northern regions (Ali & Rippley, 1978; Ali &

Qaiser, 2011). About one-third of the bird species in the country use wetlands for food, shelter

and (or) breeding (Chaudhry et al. 2012). However, the birds that visit or breed in poorer quality

habitats do not contribute to a sustainable population through the years (Ali et al 2011).

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The economic foundation of an arid land like Balochistan generally is based upon

pastoralism. Historically, people in Balochistan have been founders of domestication of plants

and animals and there is variety of animals (domestic or wild) in Balochistan. Along with the

animals, Balochistan has great variety in birds too. Few of these birds are migratory which pass

Balochistan while migrating from Central Asian States to Indus plains and vice versa with

changes in the seasons. But here are given few kinds of birds found on the mountain tops, fertile

plains, barren deserts and seashores of Balochistan permanently and hence are local species of

birds. These may include eagles (in Sarawan and Jhalawan), kites, vultures, magpies, herons,

flamingos, hawks, owls, swallows, partridge, quail, pigeons, wild geese, and ducks (near Sorab,

Kharan and Zhob) and king-fishers (Hauges, 2002) . Along with these birds there are other

verities too including “Chakor” (Caccabis Chucar) and “sisi” (Ammoperdix), and large groups of

sand-grouse which pass Balochistan in the winter season. Wild-fowl is also found near water

pounds. The long coastal area of Balochistan has its own variety in the birds and reptiles and

they provide not only healthy food to the local people rather are good source of income for the

traders who are involved in the business of sea food (Balochistan, 1908).

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Representation of Avifauna on the Ceramics

1 Period IIIb corresponds to 2800-2600 BCE; Period IIIc corresponds to 2600-2500 BCE (Didier 2013)

2 Sites mentioned by Aurore Didier (Didier 2013: pp 49-50)

3 Period IIIb corresponds to 28-2600 BCE; Period IIIc corresponds to 2600-2500 BCE

S. No. Bird in the painted

motif

Period 1 Site

2 Matched bird

3 Bird’ s

common

name

Scientific name Family

1

IIIc Miri Qalat

Heron Ardea cineria Ardeidae

2

IIIb Tihani Qalat

Pheasant Phasianus

colchicus

Phasianidae

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153

3

IIIb Site no.43

Whistling

duck

Dendro-

cygnidae

javanica

Anatidae

4

IIIc Miri Qalat

Partridge Ammoperdix

griseogularis

Phasianidae

5

IIIb Miri Qalat

Rosette of the

peacock

plumage?

Associated with

Pavo cristatus

Phasianidae

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11

IIIb Durrah-i-

Bast (Site

no.170)

Sandpiper? Scolopacidae Scolopacida

e;

12

IIIc Miri Qalat

peacock Pavo cristatus Phasianidae

13

IIIc Miri Qalat

Peahen? Pavo cristatus Phasianidae

AVIFAUNA ON THE CERAMICS OF KETCH-MAKRAN, BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN

155

14

IIIb Darach Koh

Golden eagle Aquila

chrysaetos

Accipitridae

15

IIIb Durrah-i-Bast

(site no. 153)

Peacock Pavo cristatus Phasianidae

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Description of the Matched Birds

Heron

The grey heron is a long-legged predatory wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae,

native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its

range, but some populations from the more northern parts migrate southwards in autumn. A bird

of wetland areas, it can be seen around lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and on the sea coast. It feeds

mostly on aquatic creatures which it catches after standing stationary beside or in the water or

stalking its prey through the shallows (“Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)". 2012).

It is around 1 metre tall, adults weigh from 1 to 2 kg (2.2 to 4.4 lb). They have a white

head and neck with a broad black stripe that extends from the eye to the black crest. The body

and wings are grey above and the underparts are greyish-white, with some black on the flanks.

The long, sharply pointed beak is pinkish-yellow and the legs are brown.

The breeding range of the Grey Heron covers most of the Old World south of the Arctic

Circle, including Asia, Africa, Europe and East Indies islands to Wallace‟s Line. In the east

Palearctic, the specie cinerea join in with jouyi in east Russia. This subspecies ranges from India,

China, Mongolia, Hainan, Japan, Korea (Matsunaga et al. 2000), Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia,

Malaysia (peninsular), Indonesia to Java and Sumatra. The time of nesting varies across the wide

range of this species. In temperate areas, the breeding season is limited to spring and summer. In

northern part of China, herons appear in late March and in some years not until May. In coastal

regions of Russia (Maritime Province), herons reach by mid-March and lay eggs in the first half

of April. It occurs in Pakistan in Winter, which is a non-breeding season and found in

Balochistan and Sindh (https://www.heronconservation.org/). At Haleji and Hadiero lake in

Thatta Sindh, 13 species of herons are seen. (Grimmet et al 2008: 17). They breed in colonies in

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spring in "heronries", usually building their nests high in trees. Both birds incubate the eggs for

around 25 days, and then both feed the chicks, which fledge when 7-8 weeks old. Many juveniles

do not survive their first winter, but if they do, they can expect to live for about 5 years (Bird Life

International 2012; "Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)" 2012; Dunning Jr., John B., ed.

1992.;Witherby, H. F., ed. 1943).

In Ancient Egypt, the deity Bennu was depicted as a heron in New Kingdom artwork. In

Ancient Rome, the heron was a bird of divination (Hart, 2005). Thus, we do not know whether

these birds were depicted in prehistoric Makran for some religious reasons or just for decoration

purpose showing the surrounding environment.

Pheasant

Pheasant is a bird of the family Phasianidae (order Galliformes) that is larger than a quail

or partridge. Most pheasants, around 52 species in about 16 genera of the subfamily Phasianinae,

are long-tailed birds of open woodlands and fields, where they feed in small flocks (Gatson

1996; Krupnick and Kress, 2003). Fascinatingly, 50 species are Asian in origin (McGowan et al.,

1995; Johnsgard, 1999; Chatterjee, 2015) . All species of pheasants have hoarse calls and a

diversity of other notes. The male pheasants of most species are strikingly colored; the females

are unobtrusively colored. A male pheasant is aggressive in breeding season. It has one or more

leg spurs and may have fleshy ornaments on the face. Courting males sometimes fight to the

death in the presence of hens, who seem utterly indifferent to the commotion. (Gatson, 1996;

Krupnick and Kress, 2003).

The common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) (Linaeus, Carl (1758) has 20–30 races

ranging across Asia. Birds naturalized elsewhere are mixes of races, with the gray-rumped

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158 PAKISTAN HERITAGE 12 (2020)

ringneck (or Chinese) strain usually dominating. They favor grain fields close to brushy cover.

The male pheasant is usually about 90 cm long, with streaming, narrow, cross-barred tail. It has a

brown back and coppery breast, purplish-green neck, and two small ear tufts; its complete body

is barred and speckled (Britannica).

pheasants survive from sea level to 4200 meter and can be clearly separated into two

clusters; low elevation pheasants and the high elevation pheasants. The former need heat to stand

winters with subzero temperatures whereas the later type inhabits the snowbound environs of the

Himalayas and the higher altitudinal ranges of China, Japan and Taiwan (Beebe 1936; Howman

1993). Thus, it is observed that the specie which is more related to the motif on the pottery can

be Phasianus colchicus, which is seen in Balochistan and is also a native of Iran along-with other

countries mentioned above (cabi.org).

Whistling Duck

Whistling ducks is a bird of the family Anatidae. It is aquatic and highly gregarious, and

naturally migrating. It often feeds, travels, rests and roosts in flocks. Most species of ducks are

vegetarian feeding on roots, seeds, algae and plants often supplemented by marine invertebrates.

Their chief foraging methods include diving, surface-feeding, dabbling and grazing. They also

sieve and filter water in search of food. Ducks fly in direct and sustained fast wingbeats,

characteristically in V-formation. At Haleji and Hadiero, at least 13 species of ducks have been

seen in winter (Grimmett et al. 2008:17-34).

This is specie, largely resident and distributed widely across lowland wetlands of

Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The species are also found on the islands in the

region including the Nicobars, Andamans and Maldives (Anderson and M Baldock 2001).They

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often make local movements according to weather conditions and availability of water resources.

They are mainly witnessed in freshwater wetlands with good vegetation cover and spend their

day resting during the day on the banks or even on the open sea in coastal areas. They breed

during the monsoon or rainy season and may vary locally in relation to the food availability (Ali

and S.D. 1978; Parsons 1940).

Partridge

The Phasiandae is a family of terrestrial birds consisting of partridges, pheasants, quails,

snowcocks, francolins, tragopans, spur fowls, peafowls, monals and jungle fowls. (Ali and

Dillon, 1980; Avibase).

The See-see Partridge is a bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order

Galliformes, gallinaceous birds (Hartert, 1921; Baker, 1922-31; 32-35). It is called locally as

Sisu (Baluchi); Seesee (Sind, Punjab) ; Tihu (Persian) ; Kuckic (Attock). This partridge has its

main native range from southeast Turkey through Syria and Iraq east to Iran and Pakistan. It is

locally common in West Pakistan - Baluchistan, Sind (Kirthar Hills), KPK and Punjab (Salt

Range) (Ali/Dillon, 1980: 8-10) It is closely related to its counterpart in Arabia and Egypt, the

Sand Partridge, Ammoperdix heyi. This bird is 22-25 cm, a resident breeder of dry, open and

often hilly country. It makes its nest in a scantily lined ground scrape laying 8-16 eggs. See-see is

a plump bird, largely sandy grey-brown, concealingly desert- coloured partridge. Male has its

head and foreneck ashy grey. A white band from lores through eye and ear-coverts ending

posteriorly in a rufous patch, bordered above and below by black lines. The black line above

(supercilium) broader and stretching from across forehead backward to nape. Outer tail-feathers

are conspicuously chestnut. Underparts are pinkish buff, horizontally streaked on flanks with

black and chestnut. It has orange bill and yellow legs. Female is a very washed-out version of the

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160 PAKISTAN HERITAGE 12 (2020)

male having sandy grey color but without the grey head and black- and-white bands, and with no

dark streaks on flanks.

On seeing danger, See-see Partridge prefers to run rather than fly, but if necessary, it flies

a short distance on rounded wings. The song is a whistled hwit-hwit-hwit. Partridges feed and

nest on ground, but many species roost in trees at night. They find food in dead leaves or in the

soil by scratching the ground with their strong feet (Akhizmunawar.wordpress.com). Partridge

feeds on seeds, vegetable shoots, buds, fruit and insects. Whistler found stomachs of specimens

fully crammed with the small serrated trefoil-like leaves of Trigonella occulta which grows

sparsely in their stony habitat (Ali/Dillon 1980: 8-10; Grimmett et al. 2008:34).

Rosette of the Peacock Plumage? (Same as no.12 mentioned in the table)

Sandpiper

Sandpiper is a small to medium-sized wader of the size of a grey quail, with a long bill,

short orange-yellow legs and cryptically patterned plumage. It measures about 15 to 30 cm long.

It inhabits marshy ground (Grimmett et al. 2008: 37; Ali/Dillon 1980:269). Sandpiper throngs

sea beaches and inland mud flats during migration. They feed on the beaches, ocean coastlines

and inland waters, running along near the water, picking worms, crustaceans, molluscs and

insects (Chopra et al. 2011).

Pale ashy brown rump and white trailing edge of dark wings is visible during flight. In

winter, they have grayish brown with conspicuous white forehead and supercilia. Below is white.

Both sexes are alike. In Summer, they have bold black streaks on mantle forming a prominent V-

shaped mark (scapulars). Below, sides of head and neck, and breast, distinctly striated with

brown (Ali/Dillon 1980:269).

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161

Sandpipers are winter visitor to the entire seaboard from W. Pakistan (Makran, Sind) and

western India from Kutch and Saurashtra south to the tip of the Peninsula and up the east coast to

W. Bengal and East Pakistan; Ceylon (northwest coasts). Like many other waders begins to

arrive on the Makran, Sind, Kutch and Saurashtra coasts in early August and go back by mid

May. Apparently migrates mainly along the littoral, not reported from far inland in India or

Pakistan, but very rarely (Ali/Dillon 1980:269).

Breeds in N. Russia to Siberia late May and June, east to Kolyma river, south from

southern Urals to Lake Baikal and beyond (Ali/Dillon 1980: 269-70; witherby 1940).

Peacock

The Indian Peafowl, also called as Blue Peafowl is a large and brightly colored pheasant

native to South Asia, but introduced and semi-feral in many other parts of the world. The male,

peacock, is largely blue with a fan-like crest of spatula-tipped wire-like feathers and is best

known for the long train made up of elongated upper-tail covert feathers which bear colorful

eyespots. It raises these firm, drawn-out feathers into a fan and shivers in a display during

courtship. The female, peahen, lacks the bright colors and train. She has a dull-brown plumage

and greenish lower neck. They are mostly seen on the ground in open forest or around farmlands

where they forage for plants, berries, grains and other vegetation. They also prey on snakes,

lizards and small rodents. They are also found around human habitations and usually where

water is available. They make loud calls which makes them easy to detect, and in forest areas,

often indicate the presence of a predator such as a tiger (akhizmunawar.wordpress.com).

The Blue Peafowl is a resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent and is found in the drier

lowland areas of Sri Lanka. In South Asia, it is found mainly below an altitude of 1800 m and in

rare cases seen at about 2000m. In many parts of northern India, they are protected by religious

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sentiment and will forage around villages and towns for scraps. Some have suggested that the

peacock was introduced into Europe by Alexander the Great, while others suggest that the bird

had reached Athens by 450 BC and may have been introduced even earlier. It has since been

introduced in many other parts of the world and has become wild in some areas (ibid).

Peahen (Same as no.7 mentioned in the table)

Golden Eagle

The golden eagle is a very large raptor, weighing from 2.8 to 4.6 kg . and 66 to 102

centimeters in length. Its wings are broad and the wingspan is 1.8 to 2.34 meters ( "Golden

Eagle, Life History" 2009; Ferguson-Lees et al, 2001; Peterson and Roger Tory 1998; National

Geographic Field Guide To The Birds Of North America (4th ed.). 2002), making it the fifth

largest among living eagle species (Ferguson-Lees, James; Christie, David A. 2001). Females are

larger than males, with a bigger difference in larger subspecies. Females of the large Himalayan

golden eagles are about 37% heavier than males and have nearly 9% longer wings, whereas in

the smaller Japanese golden eagles, females are only 26% heavier with around 6% longer wings.

(Terres, John K. (1980). "Golden Eagle". The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American

Birds. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 478. ISBN 0-517-03288-0; Watson, Jeff (2010). The

Golden Eagle. A&C Black. ISBN 978-1-4081-1420-9.; Ferguson-Lees, James; Christie, David

A. (2001). Raptors of the World. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0-618-12762-3) .

The golden eagle is one of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. It is

the most extensively scattered specie of eagle. Both sexes have similar plumage. These birds are

dark brown, with some grey on the inner wing and tail. A paler, typically golden colour on the

back of the crown and nape is visible giving the species its common name(Clark, William S. and

Wheeler, Brian K. 2001; Watson, Jeff 2010; Jollie, Malcolm 1947). Golden eagle has its bill dark

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at the tip, fading to a lighter horn colour, with a yellow cere (Brown, Leslie; Amadon, Dean

1986). Immature eagles of this specie have white on the tail and wings. They use their agility

and speed combined with extremely powerful claws and massive sharp talons to snatch up a

variety of prey mainly rabbits, hares, ground squirrels and marmots (avibase.bsc-eoc.org).

Golden eagle is also called as sea-eagle which inhabited along Persian Gulf and Makran -Sindh-

Kathiawar coastline. Its subspecies are found almost throughout Europe, Russia, N. Iran and

Kazakastan. They also pick sea snakes as food (K.N. Dave 2005: 201)

Peacock (Same as no.7 mentioned in the table)

Results and Discussion

In current study, 10 sherds from the pottery assemblage of Makran were selected to

identify the painted avifauna. The study was conducted with the help of published literature on

regional birds. In the process, great help was provided by Dr. Muuhammad Rafique , Director

Zoological Division, Pakistan Museum of Natural History Islamabad.

There are found seven types of birds including heron, pheasant, partridge, peacock,

sandpiper, duck and eagle. During the study, it is found that the identified species of birds still

exist in the region of Makran and Sindh. These birds are native to Asia and some specifically to

the regions of Pakistan i.e. eagle, partridges, peacock and pheasant. Some of the birds migrate

within Asia for breeding including sandpiper and heron.

Since, the artist takes ideas for the decorations from the already seen things, or its

surroundings so, we can say that the repetition of particular specie describes its value and

abundance in the region. Although, the representation is quite stylistic, but it describes the very

features of the typology of these birds, which is typical of this region. For instance, we can find

representation of peacock, which is very stylistic and refined in comparison to the later

SUNDUS ASLAM KHAN, AURORE DIDIER AND M. ASHRAF KHAN

164 PAKISTAN HERITAGE 12 (2020)

depictions in the ceramics of Indus Valley Civilization. Another very interesting motif is of the

partridge which seems quite close to the real depiction with strapped wings. Some other birds

like duck, pheasants and eagle are also very interesting depictions which appeared to be quite

refined in their execution. The representation of heron feeding on a fish shows its surrounding

habitat with some water body i.e. lake or sea. The depiction of these birds also highlights their

importance in the lives of those ancient people, which they probably hunted or domesticated for

their food consumption like today.

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Fig.1. Map of Kech-Makran showing its important sites (Didier 2013)