sites belonged to various periods — Pre-Arians, Achaemenian, Indo-Greek, Setho-Parthian, Buddhist and then the Hindu Shahi period.

The main entrance to Pakka Sarai in Gujar Khan. — Dawn

‘We found painted pottery or pot shards with geometric and floral motives. But the most important discovery so far in our preliminary findings are the seals, dices, terracotta animal and human figurines and iron objects belonging to different periods,’ he said.

What was truly fascinating was when this team ventured into Dhan Gali — probably not explored and documented before by archaeologists — and found a tomb, fortress and a mosque believed to have been built by the Ghakkars, PhD scholar with QAU and anthropologist, Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro, said.

The team did not want to disclose locations of some of the sites to protect them from prying eyes. The team would begin its documentation again by the end of December. The survey would include documentation of sites and monuments marked by the Muslim invasion and down to the British Raj, Dr Ashraf Khan said.