Mansura ruins to get new lease of archaeological life

The archaeological site of Mansura-Brahmanabad in Sanghar is set to undergo excavation in early 2027 under a joint initiative of the Sindh Archaeology and Antiquities Department and an Italian archaeological mission.

Zahida Qadri, who heads the department's excavation team, and Italian archaeologist Dr Alessandro Tilia told the media in Sanghar on Monday that efforts were also under way to secure World Heritage status for the site.

Dr Tilia said the project was being undertaken under the supervision of Prof Dr Luca Maria Olivieri of the Italian Institute for Middle and Far East (IsMEO). Mansura, he said, was a significant archaeological site in the region, and the project aimed to scientifically examine the different periods of the ancient city, its urban development and cultural continuity, as well as recover artefacts and preserve its remains.

"Road construction, agricultural activities, encroachment and livestock movement around the archaeological site may damage the remains and potentially make long-term research difficult," Dr Tilia cautioned. He appealed to the local administration and residents to consider the protection of Mansura a collective responsibility and refrain from activities that could harm the site.

Qadri recalled that the Italian archaeological mission had been working at the Bhambore site in Thatta district for nearly 15 years. The team, she said, was now expanding its research programme to Mansura. Initial surveys and mapping had identified agricultural activity, roads and other forms of human intervention in different parts of the site, she added.

She said detailed mapping and analysis of the archaeological layers would be key components of the project, helping researchers determine the nature of settlements established at the site during different periods and identify cultural remains beneath the ancient city.

Highlighting the importance of local cooperation, Qadri said support from local authorities and residents at Bhambore had helped prevent damage to the site and facilitated further research. She expressed hope that similar cooperation would be extended at Mansura.

The archaeological site covers around 500 acres and contains the remains of an ancient fortification believed to have stretched for about seven kilometres. Mansura emerged as an important regional centre during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods and developed into a significant settlement and trading centre along the Indus River.

Earlier excavations by the federal archaeology department, particularly those led by F.A. Khan during the 1960s, uncovered significant remains of the ancient city. Large bronze door fittings recovered during those excavations are preserved at the National Museum in Karachi, the Islamabad Museum and the site museum administered by the Sindh Archaeology Department. Qadri said recognition of Mansura as a World Heritage site could help attract domestic and international visitors while creating opportunities for local economic and commercial activity.