Musa Khel and the Indus Tradition of the Northern Punjab

Abstract

The present study particularly focuses on the endangered archaeological site of Musa Khel, which is located in the cis-Indus District of Mianwali, Northern Punjab, and aimed to highlight the chronological development of the Indus Tradition, cultural cum commercial relation with other areas and craft traditions, especially pottery. Explorations have documented the signs of illegal digging down to probable virgin levels at the main mound of the site, which has yielded several features such as architecture, stratigraphy, and crafts. These exposed features have been described in different chapters. In the absence of proper stratigraphy, a thorough comparison of exposed features has been made with adjacent and contemporary sites. As a result, the presence of a long and complex cultural development (c.3300-1900 BCE) besides long-distance cultural and commercial links have been identified at Musa Khel. Several other features of the Regionalization and Integration Era of the Indus Tradition also noticed such as the early form of script (pre-fired and post fired symbols), specialized crafts (technologically advanced and mainly utilitarian ceramics-pottery, human figurines, toy carts, bangles, beads, seals); metallurgy, baked brick architecture, etc. Moreover, the strategic location of Musa Khel and its environment enriched with mineralogical produce suggests that the site has enjoyed good and well-developed economic relations with contemporary regions. Thus, the unattended and endangered Musa Khel site has substantiated the presence of a small borderland but a well-developed urban settlement in the north-western regions of the Indus Tradition