Hyderabad: Sixteenth century Chinese white and blue pottery, Martabani storage jars from Indonesia and Malaysia and hookahs have been found near the Summer Palace area of the Qutub Shahi Tombs premises during excavation.
Around 28 structures or rooms, which haven’t been named yet, have been discovered near the Summer Palace, which conservation architects are terming as a promising area as it is highly likely that “we will find several more artefacts dating back to 16th and 17th centuries as the soil in the Summer Palace is very natural and undisturbed unlike the one found around the tombs.”
“Despite the name Summer Palace, it is not a palace. From the observations and constructions surrounding the other side of the courtyard near the Summer Palace, it looks like a kind of resting abode for the maintenance staff at the tombs. A mosque portion too has been excavated,” said former ASI director K.K. Mohammad.
“Presence of hookah in India can be dated back to 1605, in Akbar’s darbar. Similarly, the Martabani storage jars and pottery, including Chinese pottery, reveal significant information which helps to give a tentative date to the place and the trade links here,” said Mr Mohammad.
Excavations at this site are sponsored by the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) in partnership with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).
Michael Pelletier, deputy ambassador, Embassy of the US visited the site on Friday and congratulated the team.
