Mithi: A wood sculpture apparently centuries of a tunic and bearded man has been discovered in the mountainous region of Karoonjhar, Nagarparkar, intriguing historians and archaeologists on their cultural origins.
The aware sources of the discovery said that the artifact was recovered near a seasonal river bed in the Karoonjhar hills by residents of the area and social activists.
The intricately carved wood statue represents a tunic man with traditional characteristics, and is believed to be considerable seniority. Preliminary observations suggest that it can be linked to ancient oriental cultures, although their exact origin remains without being clear.
The researcher and writer Khalid Kumhar, who had widely documented the historical geography of Tharparkar, commented that the design and position of the statue seemed to reflect influences of eastern oriental or China culture.
“The statue does not coincide with the known relics of Buddhist iconography or Jainist common to this region,” he said.
The discovery caught the attention of the Department of Culture of Sindh, Tourism and Antiques and Provincial Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah declared that measures would be taken to preserve the object.
“A team of heritage experts will carry out thorough investigations on sculpture, and their findings will be shared with the public in due time,” said the minister.
The wooden statue has been temporarily insured by the locals until the experts of the Department of Culture formally examine it.
Posted in Dawn, June 15, 2025
