30 Archaeological and Historic Sites Identified in Afghanistan’s Paktia Province

DID Press: Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture has announced the identification and registration of 30 archaeological and historic sites in Paktia province, following surveys conducted by a team of professional archaeologists across nine districts and the provincial centre.

In a statement, the ministry said the Archaeology Department’s expert team had identified and registered 28 archaeological sites and two historic buildings during general surveys and research in the province.The ministry added that several ancient artefacts were also recovered during the investigations, including pottery fragments and copper coins dating back to the Kushan period.

Sayed Zabihullah Sadat, head of the Archaeology Department, said some of the discovered coins belonged to Huvishka, the fifth ruler of the Kushan dynasty.He added that, based on their historical and archaeological characteristics, the findings date back to the Kushan and Islamic periods.

Sadat stressed that further specialized research, scientific examination of the pottery and coins, and, if necessary, archaeological excavations in accordance with scientific standards are required to establish the precise historical background of the sites.