BEGININNG OF ARCHAEOLOGY IN MALAKAND- SWAT (1896-1926) PROTAGONISTS, FIELDWORK AND THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Abstract

Archaeology has been widely practiced in Indo-Pakistani subcontinent since the turn of 19 th century. This activity might be categorized into field archaeology, theoretical archaeology, legal archaeology, history of archaeology and so on. In British India the interest revolved around field work and preservation through legal protection. Indian archaeology, its development, and empire went hand in hand and both reached Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa by mid-19 th century. Subsequently, extensive archaeological activity was seen in the shape of large-scale surveys, excavations and conservation. Swat and Malakand, lying beyond the administrative borders of British India, were not an exception. However, the initial activity here was very poor as it was not motivated by serious academic concerns. This, no doubt, applies to L. A. Waddell and A. Caddy who simply had to collect Gandhara art pieces for Calcutta Museum. But later works done by A. Foucher and A. Stein are more systematic as they are in line with modernist approach to knowledge and epistemology. Major Deane’s work also garners importance especially his collection of inscriptions. Other scholars such as Bühler, Lüders, Senart, Rapson etc. contributed to paleographic studies of Uḍḍiyāna. All this activity spreads over the period between 1896 and 1926. This is to be rightly termed as the beginning of archaeological activity in Malakand and Swat.