ISLAMABAD: Listing of Sirkup in Unesco`s World Heritage Site confirms its exceptional universal value, hence it deserves protection for the benefit of all.

Instead of resorting to inappropriate conservation techniques, the management of the Archaeology Department, Punjab should adopt such measures which help preserve Sirkup, one of the three major ancient cities besides Bhir and Sirsuk in the Taxila valley, in its original state.

`Like Scythians and Parthians, who invaded the city thrice and burnt it to ashes over the centuries and then by the Huns in 60AD, the management of the Archaeology Department is causing harm by exercising inappropriate conservation methods, said a senior official at the Department of Archaeology andMuseums (DOAM), Islamabad.

Every year, in winters, the management of Taxila Museum sets wild vegetation, which grows at the site, on fire.

The recent fire has blackened the empty spaces which were believed to be rooms of houses. The fire spread through the narrow streets and engulfed half of the remains of the city.

The fire has also blackened some of the earthquake resistant stone walls, which were carefully and painstakingly excavated under the directions of Sir John Marshall between 1912 and 1930 and then again in 1944-45.

The practice is contrary to the warnings on signboards put up for visitors, cautioning them that `who ever destroyed, broke, damaged, altered, injured, defaced, mutilated and scribbled on any antiquity shall be punishable under the law, with includes rigorous imprisonment for threeyears, a fine of Rs200,000 or both.

According to the expert in DOAM Islamabad, the heat damaged the limestone masonry that was especially used as building material in the constructions of sacred worship places such as Apsidal Temple, Sun Temple and the Double-headed Eagle Stupa as well as the king`s palace, all that gives Sirkup so much importance.

Guides at Sirkup, which is also protected under the Antiquities Act 1975 for its outstanding historic and architectural importance, blamed the students of University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila, situated at a walking distance from the site, for the damages the site had received.

However, the experts in DOAM Islamabad rejected this notion.

They argued that the management in Taxila Museum set on firethe shrubs in and around the site to avoid painstaking conservation works.

`Wild vegetation is one of the biggest threats to the site and our team is aware of this problem.

Sheesham trees quickly cover a large area. These are extremely dangerous as they grow through the walls and their roots damage the foundations of the remains, said Director Archaeology Punjab Salimul Haq when he was contacted.

However, he did not agree with the argument that his management undertook unprofessional maintenance and conservation methods.

On the other hand, Unesco said that it too had concerns about the maintenance techniques of Sirkup.

`We are arranging a training programme for a team of archaeologists to particularly train them in maintaining sites where wildshrubbery threatens conservation efforts of ancient sites,` said Unesco`s Jawad Aziz.Only 20 per cent of the ancient city has been excavated. The remaining still lay buried underground.

`There is evidence that three Stone Age civilizations are still buried under the excavated remains of Sirkup,` a senior archaeologist in DOAM explained.

Sirkup was designed on a chess board pattern with all the doors opening in smaller streets instead of the main big lane.

Alexander the Great had pitched his tent here when he came to Punjab along with his massive army in 326BC.

`It is also the city where the Christian Apostle Saint Thomas also came in 40AD and was received by the king in his royal palace,` the expert elaborated.

According to the expert, if one does not see Sirkup, the visit to Taxila would be incomplete.