ACT-FIELD SCHOOL PROJECT REPORTS AND MEMOIRS SERIES MINOR, 2

TALKING STONES

PAINTED ROCK SHELTERS OF THE SWAT VALLEY

LUCA M. OLIVIERI

FOREWORD BY MASSIMO VIDALE

WITH CONTRIBUTIONS BY

M. DI CHIARA AND M.W. MEISTER

PAKISTAN-ITALIAN DEBT SWAP PROGRAM ITALIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MISSION IN PAKISTAN

DIRECTORATE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND MUSEUMS, GOVERNMENT OF KHYBER-PAKHTUNKHWA

A volume published under the auspices of the ASSOCIAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE DI STUDI SUL MEDITERRANEO E L'ORIENTE

(ISMEO)

With the support of the Italian Embassy in Pakistan

Printing costs were generously supported by a private grant Translation by K. SCRIVEN-HALDIS, revision by M. VIDALE

This work is based on the Author's PhD dissertation (Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany) "Painted Rock Shelters of the Swat-Malakand Area. From Bronze Age to Buddhism. Materials for a Tentative Reconstruction of the Religious and Cultural Stratigraphy of Ancient Swat" (OLIVIERI 2012 = http://www.diss.fu-berlin.de/diss/receive/FUDISS_thesis_000000040006 ).

Cover: The rock shelter of Sargah-sar (Kotah) (Photo by LMO)

ISBN-10: 9 6 9 - 3 5 - 0 0 0 0 - 0

ISBN-13: 978-969-35-0000-0

All rights reserved. No Part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, digital, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without the prior permission.

2015Published by:Afzaal Ahmad Sang-e-Meel Publications, Lahore.

622.2 Olivieri, Luca M.

Talking Stones: Painted Rock Shelters

of the Swat Valley/ Luca M. Olivieri.-

Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2014.

250 pp.

1. Archaeology. I. Title.

Sang-e-Meel Publications25 Shahrah-e-Pakistan (Lower Mall), Lahore-54000, PAKISTAN

Ph. + 92-423-722-0100 / +92-423-722-8143 Fax: +92-423-724-5101http://www.sang-e-meel.com e-mail: smp@sang-e-meel.com

ACT-FIELD SCHOOL PROJECT REPORTS AND MEMOIRS

PUBLICATION PLAN (to date)

Volume I (2013)

Construction Activities in Swat District (2011-2013)Khyber-Pakthunkhwa – Pakistan

THE NEW SWAT ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMARCHITECTURAL STUDY AND MASTERPLAN

Ivano Marati and Candida Vassallo

Volume II (2014)

Excavations and Conservation Activities in Swat District (2011-2013) Khyber-Pakthunkhwa – Pakistan. 1

THE LAST PHASES OF THE URBAN SITE OFBIR-KOT-GHWANDAI (BARIKOT).

THE BUDDHIST SITES OF GUMBAT AND AMLUK-DARA (BARIKOT) Luca M. Olivieri and others

Volume III (in press)

Excavations and Conservation Activities in Swat District (2011-2013) Khyber-Pakthunkhwa – Pakistan. 2

EXCAVATIONS AT THE PROTOHISTORIC GRAVEYARDS OF GOGDARA AND UDEGRAM

Massimo Vidale and others

Volume IV (in preparation)

Excavations and Conservation Activities in Swat District (2011-2013) Khyber-Pakthunkhwa – Pakistan. 3

RESTORATION AND CONSERVATIONS ACTIVITIES AT SAIDU SHARIF I AND JAHANABAD

Edited by Luca M. Olivieri

Volume V (in press)

Excavations and Conservation Activities in Swat District (2011-2013) Khyber-Pakthunkhwa – Pakistan. 4

THE GHAZNAVID MOSQUE AND THE ISLAMIC SETTLEMENT AT MT. RAJA GIRA, UDEGRAM

Alessandra Bagnera

Special Volume (2014)

BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE IN THE SWAT VALLEY, PAKISTANSTUPAS, VIHARAS, A DWELLING UNIT

Domenico Faccenna and Piero Spagnesi

* * *

Series Minor, 1 (2014)

DIGGING UP FIELDWORK GUIDELINES FOR ARCHAEOLOGY STUDENTS

Luca M. Olivieri

Series Minor, 2 (2015)

TALKING STONESPAINTED ROCK SHELTERS OF THE SWAT VALLEY

Luca M. Olivieri

Series Minor, 3 (in preparation)

ON SWATBIBLIOGRAPHIC REPERTORY FOR ARCHAEOLOGY STUDENTS

Edited by Aatif Iqbal and Rafiullah Khan

* * *

Archival Studies, 1 (2015)

SIR AUREL STEIN AND THE ‘LORDS OF THE MARCHES’NEW ARCHIVAL MATERIALS

Luca M. Olivieri

ARCHAEOLOGY COMMUNITY TOURISM -FIELD SCHOOL (ACT)

A PROJECT BY PAKISTAN-ITALIAN DEBT SWAP AGREEMENT (PIDSA)

IMPLEMENTED BY ITALIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MISSION IN PAKISTAN (ISMEO)

DIRECTORATE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND MUSEUMS, KHYBER-PAKHTUNKHWA PROVINCE

WITH THE COLLABORATION OF ISTITUTO SINDACALE PER LA COOPERAZIONE ALLO SVILUPPO (ISCOS-CISL)

UNDER THE VIGILANCE OF DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND MUSEUMS

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, BROADCASTING AND NATIONAL HERITAGE, GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN

TECHNICAL SUPPORT BY PIDSA TECHNICAL SUPPORT UNIT - ISLAMABAD

FUNDED BY MINISTERO DEGLI AFFARI ESTERI E DELLA COOPERAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE (MAECI)

DIREZIONE GENERALE PER LA COOPERAZIONE ITALIANA ALLO SVILUPPO (DGCS, UFFICIO V) EMBASSY OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC IN PAKISTAN

UNITÀ TECNICA LOCALE (UTL) PAKISTAN, COOPERAZIONE ITALIANA ALLO SVILUPPO (ITALIAN DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION - LOCAL TECHNICAL UNIT, PAKISTAN)

SUPPORTING INSTITUTIONS

MINISTERO DEGLI AFFARI ESTERI E DELLA

COOPERAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE (MAECI), DIREZIONE GENERALE PER LA PROMOZIONE DEL

SISTEMA PAESE (UFFICIO VI)

ISTITUTO SUPERIORE PER LA CONSERVAZIONE E IL

RESTAURO (ISCR), MINISTERO DEI BENI, DELLE

ATTIVITÀ CULTURALI E DEL TURISMO (MIBACT)

MINISTERO DEI BENI, DELLE ATTIVITÀ CULTURALI E

DEL TURISMO (MIBACT), DIREZIONE GENERALE PER IL

PAESAGGIO, LE BELLE ARTI, L'ARTE E L'ARCHITETTURA

CONTEMPORANEE

MINISTERO DEI BENI, DELLE ATTIVITÀ CULTURALI E

DEL TURISMO (MIBACT*), SOPRINTENDENZA PER I BENI

ARCHEOLOGICI DEL FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

CIVIL MILITARY LOGISTIC CENTER (CMLC), 19TH

DIVISION, PAKISTAN ARMY, MINGORA

UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, PESHAWAR

QUAID-I AZAM UNIVERSITY, TAXILA INSTITUTE OF

ASIAN CIVILIZATION, ISLAMABAD

HAZARA UNIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY, SCHOOL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE AND CREATIVE

TECHNOLOGIES

UNIVERSITÀ DI BOLOGNA, “ALMA MATER STUDIORUM” DIPARTIMENTO DI BENI CULTURALI

UNIVERSITÀ DI FIRENZE*, FACOLTÀ DI ARCHITETTURA, DIPARTIMENTO DI COSTRUZIONI E RESTAURO

UNIVERSITÀ DI PADOVA, DIPARTIMENTO DEI BENI

CULTURALI: ARCHEOLOGIA, STORIA DELL’ARTE, DEL

CINEMA E DELLA MUSICA

UNIVERSITÀ DI ROMA 1, “LA SAPIENZA”, DIPARTIMENTO

DI STORIA, CULTURE, RELIGIONI

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, DEPARTMENT OF ART

HISTORY

DREXEL UNIVERSITY, PHILADELPHIA, ART AND ART

HISTORY DEPARTMENT

EMBASSY OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN IN

ITALY

MANAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL STAFF

Luca M. Olivieri, scientific co-Director, Project Manager (IsIAO and University of Bologna; currently ISMEO)

Fazal Dad Kakar (Director General DOAM, Govt. of Pakistan, until May 2014) scientific co-Director until April 2011

Saleh Mohammad (late), scientific co-Director (Director DOAM KP; until July 2011)

Nidaullah Serai, scientific co-Director (Director DOAM KP; until January 2012; April-August 2013)

Shah Nazar Khan, scientific co-Director (Director DOAM KP; until April 2013)

Mohammad Nasim Khan, scientific co-Director (Director DOAM KP; until June 2014)

Abdul Samad, scientific co-Director (Director DOAM KP, current)

Arshad Khan, Honorary Project Advisor

Feryal Ali-Gohar, Project Consultant

Irma Gjinaj, Financial Manager (ISCOS; until September 2011)

Mario Barberini, Financial Manager (ISCOS, current)

Shehryar Mannan Rana, Administrator

M. Hafeez (Administrator; Representative DOAM, Govt. of Pakistan, retd.)

Ivano Marati, Architect

Candida M. Vassallo, Architect

Claudio Cristilli, Engineer (AIRES, University of Naples 'Federico II')

Zareef Khan, Site Engineer

Roberto Dentici, Technical Advisor (March-June 2012)

Faiz-ur-Rahman, DOAM KP Focal person, Curator Swat Museum

Amanullah Afridi, DOAM KP Representative, Assistant Curator Swat Museum (currently Field Officer DOAM HQ Peshawar)

Munir, DOAM KP, Technical Responsible Swat Museum

Balqees Begum Durrani, DOAM KP Representative

Nawaz-ud-Din, DOAM KP Representative

Syed M. Niaz Ali Shah, DOAM KP Representative

Saeed Akbar, Tourist Consultant

Massimo Vidale, Chief Trainer (ISCR; currently University of Padova)

Michele Cupitò, Trainer University of Padova)

Roberto Micheli, Trainer, (MiBACT*)

Francesco Martore, Restorer (IsIAO)

Fabio Colombo, Restorer (IsIAO)

Danilo Rosati, Restorer (IsIAO)

Giuseppe Morganti, Consultant Restorer (MiBACT)

Roberto Sabelli, Consultant Restorer (University of Firenze*)

Francesco Genchi, Trainer (University of Bologna)

Giuseppe Salemi, Trainer (University of Padova)

Maria Letizia Pulcini, Trainer (University of Padova)

Edoardo Loliva, Photographer (ISCR)

M. Aurangzaib Khan, Photographer

Ilaria Scerrato (University of Roma 1)

Shafiq Ahmad, Project Assistant

Akhtar Munir, Field Officer

Ali Khan, Driver

Fazal Mabud, Driver

Hamid Shehzad, Driver

Aziz-ur-Rahman, Guesthouse Manager (until June 2014)

Ubaid Khan, English Teacher (until June 2013)

Murad, Artist

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE FIELDWORK

SEASON 1: MARCH-JUNE 2011

Amanullah Afridi (Assistant Curator Swat Museum) Ghani-ur-Rahman (Quaid-e Azam University) Faiz-ur-Rahman Luca M. Olivieri Abdul Samad (DOAM Consultant; Hazara University) Zain-ul-Wahab (Hazara University)

SEASON 2: SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2011

Amanullah Afridi (DOAM Representative) Arsalan Butt (Quaid-i Azam University) Ashraf Khan (Quaid-i Azam University) Faiz-ur-Rahman Ghani-ur-Rahman Haroon Khan (Quaid-i Azam University) Idris Khan (Quaid-i Azam University) Ifqut Shaheen (Quaid-i Azam University) Ikram Qayyum (Quaid-i Azam University) Iqbal Aatif (Hazara University) Edorado Loliva (ISCR) Francesco Martore (IsIAO) Luca M. Olivieri Misbah-ullah (Peshawar University) Muhammad Amin (Quaid-i Azam University) Muhammad Ibrahim (Quaid-i Azam University) Muhammad Rizwan Mughal (Quaid-i Azam University) M. Shoaib Alam Khan (Quaid-i Azam University) Muhammad Shoaib Riaz (Quaid-i Azam University) Munir (Engineer, Swat Museum) Noor Agha (Hazara University) Qamar-un Nisar (Quaid-i Azam University) Rafiullah (Quaid-e Azam University) Rimsha Asghar (Quaid-i Azam University) Sadeed Arif (Quaid-i Azam University) Saiba Lai-Venti (Quaid-i Azam University) Saiqa Akhtar (Quaid-i Azam University) Samina Batool (Quaid-i Azam University) Sajad Ahmad (Quaid-i Azam University) Sangeen Khan (Peshawar University) Syed M. Niaz Ali Shah (DOAM Representative) Tayyba Jadoon (Quaid-i Azam University) Tehmina Shaheen (Quaid-i Azam University) Uzma Sumro (Quaid-i Azam University) Massimo Vidale (ISCR)

SEASON 3: MARCH-JUNE 2012

Amanullah Afridi Arsalan Butt Fabio Colombo (IsIAO) Michele Cupitò (University of Padova) Ehsan Javed (Hazara University) Faiz-ur-Rahman Idris Khan Ikram Qayyum Iqbal Aatif Edorado Loliva Francesco Martore Misbah-ullah Giuseppe Morganti (MiBACT) Muhammad Ibrahim

Muhammad Rizwan Mughal Munir Luca M. Olivieri Roberto Sabelli (University of Firenze) Sangeen Khan (Hazara University) Syed M. Niaz Ali Shah Massimo Vidale

SEASON 4: SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

M. Aurangzaib Khan Fabio Colombo Faiz-ur-Rahman Francesco Genchi (University of Bologna) Ehsan Javed Irfan Ali (Hazara University) Iqbal Atif Francesco Martore Roberto Micheli (MiBACT*) Misabh-ullah Munir Syed M. Niaz Ali Shah Luca M. Olivieri Ilaria Scerrato (University of Roma 1) Saddam Hussain (Hazara University) Massimo Vidale (University of Padova) Muhammad Zahir (Hazara University) Sangeen Khan

SEASON 5: MARCH-JUNE 2013

Amber Batool (Quaid-i Azam University) Arsalan Butt Amanullah Afridi M. Aurangzaib Khan Faiz-ur-Rahman Balqees Begum Durrani Ikram Qayyum Francesco Martore Massehullah Khan (Quaid-i Azam University) Muhammad Ibrahim Munir Nawaz-ud-Din Luca M. Olivieri Ilaria Scerrato

SEASONS 6-7: OCTOBER 2013/JUNE 2014

Amber Batool M. Aurangzaib Khan Ferooz Balochi (Quaid-i Azam University) Fawad Khan (DOAM Representative) Francesco Martore Luca M. Olivieri M. Letizia Pulcini (University of Padua) Massimo Vidale

SEASONS 8: OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2014 (planned)

Fabio Colombo Luca M. Olivieri Danilo Rosati (former IsIAO) Giuseppe Salemi (University of Padova) Massimo Vidale

LIST OF MAIN ABBREVIATIONS UTILIZED IN THE TEXT

AMSV: Archaeological Map of the Swat Valley Project asl: above the seal level c.: circa DoAM: Department of Archaelogy and Museums, Ministry of Culture, Government of Pakistan FORTHC. : FORTHCOMING fn.: footnote IAM: Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan IFRAO: International Federation of Rock Art Organizations IsMEO: Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente IsIAO: Istituto Italiano per l’Africa e l’Oriente IUO: Istituto Universitario Orientale (currently: UNO: Università degli Studi di Napoli “L'Orientale”) KP: Khyber Pukhtunkhwa MAE - DGCC: Ministero degli Affari Esteri (currently: Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale - MAECI), Direzione Generale Cooperazione Culturale (currently: DGSP: Direzione Generale Sistema Paese) NAs: Northern Areas (presently: Gilgit-Baltistan) NWFP: North-West Frontier Province (currently: KP) m, km, ha: meter, kilometer, hectare sq m, sq km: square meter, square kilometer N, S, E, W: North, South, East, West ṚV: Ṛigveda

DRAWINGS BY L. M. OLIVIERI (LMO), M. VIDALE (MV) R. MICHELI (RM) AND F. MARTORE (FM)

PHOTOGRAPHS BY L.M. OLIVIERI, M. VIDALE, E. LOLIVA AND C. PRIIMANGELI (CP)

MAPS BY E. MORIGI

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD (Massimo Vidale)

iii

MAPS vi

PREFACE

1

INTRODUCTION 5

Rock art in Swat and surrounding areas 5

The painted rock shelters of Swat 8

Topography and setting 10

Documentation techniques 11

Informed methods: rock art as visual art 12

Definitions 15

CATALOGUE

21

Gazetteer 22

Correspondence chart between Gazetteer and Plates 52

Charts of subjects (I-IX) 54

Graphics I-V 64

DISCUSSION

67

Elements of continuity and discontinuity 68

Items for chronology 73

Archaeological data 87

Topographic analysis and comparisons 93

Distribution chart of the major themes or groups of figures per site 100

Distribution chart according to the physical site features 102

Lexical and syntactical continuity/discontinuity 105

CONCLUSIONS 107

Marginality and acculturation: space and time 108

About the existence of a tribal belt 115

Who were the painters of the painted shelters 124

Distribution chart of cultural horizons 131

APPENDIX 1 Toponomastic lexicon (Matteo De Chiara)

133

APPENDIX 2 Note on the distribution of gumbats (Michael W. Meister)

135

APPENDIX 3 Grids, dots, lines and body modifications

139

List of plates 149

List of abbreviations 155

REFERENCES 159

GRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION Pls. 1-43

PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION Pls. I-XCIV

* * *

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE VOLUME

MATTEO DE CHIARA, Maître de Conférences, Institut National de Langues et Civilizations Orientales, CNRS - Mondes iranien et indien, Paris (France)

MICHAEL W. MEISTER, Professor of South Asian Studies, University of Pennsylvania, Department of History of Art, Philadelphia (USA)

MASSIMO VIDALE, Aggregate Professor, Università di Padova, Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali: Archeologia, Storia dell’Arte, del Cinema e della Musica, Padova (Italy)

ii