http://www.dawn.com/2002/05/29/nat14.htm

By Mohammad Iqbal

MARDAN, May 28: Mardan division, which has more than 700
archaeological sites of various periods, is facing a number of
problems of illegal excavation, ruthless use of coin detectors and
climatic threat , while the department concerned has taken an
indifferent attitude for protecting them.

Illegal excavation at Kashmir Smast (cave) continues for the last one
year where plunderers have recovered a bronze Budhi Satwa statue and
White Huns coins. These objects are considered as rare antiquities of
Gandhara culture.

Kashmir Smast is situated at Babozai mountains, some 3,000 feet above
sea level in Mardan district. A source told Dawn that the statue was
sold over Rs 2.8 million to a foreign dealer.

It is said that some officials of the archaeological department
visited the site but the plunderers carried out excavation in the
presence of these officials.

Legal excavation at Chargul site was started by the directorate of
archaeology some four months back but now the work has been stopped
due to the non-availability of funds.

Chargul is situated at Rustam Moza at the foot of Doda mountain, some
17km away from Mardan, where an ancient monastery was discovered
which includes a hall, meditation cells and worship places.

Some unknown persons tore up the archaeological map, which prepared
in 1991. The map was erected near Rashakai on the border of Mardan
and Nowshera districts. The map was made of bronze at a cost of Rs
125,000, which showed the monastery of Takhtbai. This map now stands
torn up.

For establishing Mardan Museum, the then provincial chief minister of
NWFP, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, had purchased 12 kanals land near
Sheikh Maltoon Town in 1995 and allocated fund for its construction,
but the project was abandoned for some unknown reasons. This has been
resented by the people and those interested in the cultural history
of the region.

The extremely rare piece of two Ashoka inscription rocks at Shahbaz
Gari are vulnerable to the severity of the weather and needs proper
attention by the archaeological department. Experts have expressed
their apprehension that in the absence of proper maintenance the
pillars may vanish for ever.

Ruthless use of coin detectors by plunderers has brought devastation
to the sites as they recover coins through these detectors. An expert
said that this process is very damaging to the sites, as the
plunderers use machines which distorts other historical and
archaeological substances.

He said at present a large number of coins are available in the
market where local and foreign dealers make a business it.

He deplored that usually rare coins were found in these sites which
reach the foreign dealers on nominal prices. He suggested that the
only possible way to protect these sites was to ban these coin
detectors and introduce severe punishments for