The chiselled face of Taxila

Taxila has long fascinated scholars, given its indescribably rich and ancient history. Investigations and archaeological digs in the area go back to the 19th century when a number of European antiquarians and historians began to uncover the settlement’s ancient Buddhist heritage, long buried and now the object of a newfound fascination. There emerged a substantial body of literature on the Taxila valley, to which scholars have continued to add over the years.

In their recently published monograph Crafts of Taxila, Prof. M. Ashraf Khan and Ifqut Shaheen of the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations take a fresh look at modern-day Taxila against the backdrop of its ancient heritage. Their research was sponsored by the Punjab Small Industries Corporation in order to promote and streamline the area’s cottage industries as part of the Punjab government’s poverty alleviation program.

Alexander Cunningham resurrected the spirit of Taxila by restoring its ancient name

While the monograph is a fairly comprehensive source of information on Taxila’s history, cultural landscape and archaeological heritage, it also looks at how ancient craftsmanship has given way to modern artistry, with local artisans attempting to train their shrinking number of apprentices. The authors also explore the area’s geography and describe some of the first archaeological digs organised by the Archaeological Survey of India, which was responsible for producing a number of seminal studies on Taxila’s ancient heritage. Among the more well-known colonial historians was Alexander Cunningham, who resurrected Taxila in a sense by restoring its ancient name – long forgotten till then – in the 19th century. He was followed by the intrepid John Marshall in the early 20th century who chanced upon vast stretches of buried stupas, temples and mounds, and wrote extensively on his findings. Indeed, Khan and Shaheen devote an entire (and deservedly so) chapter to Marshall’s contribution to uncovering Taxila’s archaeological resources.

Taxila’s earliest human settlements date back to the fourth millennium BC and the area has always been inhabited since. Although the authors focus primarily on the Buddhist period of its long history – for which it is, of course, most well known – they have also looked at Taxila’s Hindu, Muslim and colonial past. Apart from important historical settlements such as Bhir, Sirkap and Sirsuk, the book reconstructs the history of other sacred Buddhist complexes such as the Dharmarajika, Kunala and Julian stupas, and examines the nuances of Gandhara art.

Making replicas of Buddhist deities is something sculptors can no longer afford to do openly

What sets the monograph apart, however, is that the authors do not relegate Taxila merely to its past. Rather, they position the area within a quieter present, where its tradition of stone masonry is alive and well, if necessarily on a far smaller scale. Taxila can trace its stonemasons back to the very beginnings of the settlement and this has affected present-day cultural practices and trades. The town is well known for producing decorative paraphernalia in stone and stucco: fountains, vases, mortar-work and qabar patti line the streets and provide numerous families with an important source of livelihood. Qabar patti is somewhat similar to the ancient Egyptian tradition of the sarcophagus. Masons sit hunched over their tools and materials as they chisel out replicas of Buddhist art and divinities.

The replica industry presents an intriguing field of study. Khan and Shaheen argue that the profession now finds itself in a precarious position, vulnerable as it has become in the face of increasing social Islamization. Given that the craft is associated with the stigma of making religious idols, sculptors can no longer afford to practice it openly – even if it is their source of livelihood. Added to this is the illegality of making such replicas under the Antiquities Act 1975. Yet it remains an enviable skill – in spite of the risk of forgeries and the implications of this for the academic world. Given that the craft is a source of earning for many poor families in Taxila, the authors would have done well to explore options for providing artisans with some measure of legal cover.

Nonetheless, the authors dwell at length on the dire need to preserve and promote Taxila’s traditions of craftsmanship. Artisans need advanced training, the handicrafts they produce must be exhibited more widely and public awareness built through seminars and talks. But another key aspect of this is to build up the body of popular literature available on such subjects to stimulate the layperson’s interest in the value and utility of heritage and history. Crafts of Taxila is a commendable example of this effort and it would go even further were the book translated into the vernacular.

The author teaches at the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations at Quaid-i-Azam University