JAMSHORO – A book documenting rock carvings in Sindh’s Taki Valley was launched at the Dr N.A. Baloch Institute of Heritage Research at a ceremony attended by academics, students and cultural practitioners.
Written by anthropologist and heritage researcher Dr Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro, Stones That Speak: Rock Carvings of the Taki Valley, Sindh draws on extensive fieldwork in the Khirthar mountains.
The institute organised the launch in collaboration with the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Sindh.
Speaking on the occasion, department chairman Dr Abdul Razaque Channa said the publication went beyond cataloguing rock carvings, examining them through archaeological, anthropological and ethnographic perspectives.
Based on nearly three decades of exploration, the book documented previously unrecorded petroglyphs, he said. Its subjects ranged from prehistoric hunting scenes and religious symbols to pastoral traditions and contemporary engravings.
Dr Channa said these carvings showed how Sindh’s mountain landscapes preserved a visual record of human activity and cultural expression. He also acknowledged Dr Kalhoro’s contribution to documenting the country’s archaeology, architecture and living traditions.
Welcoming participants, the institute’s deputy director, Dr Arshad Baloch, said this was the author’s third scholarly book published by the institute. He highlighted its review and editorial process and encouraged researchers to contribute original scholarship on Sindh’s history and culture.
Institute director Hakim Ali Rahujo outlined its work to preserve Dr N.A. Baloch’s scholarly legacy through research, publications, archives and heritage documentation.
Dr Muhammad Rafique Wassan appreciated the author’s detailed field documentation and encouraged students to undertake original research. Dr Muhabat Ali Shah said preserving heritage was a responsibility towards future generations, as knowledge could otherwise be lost over time.
Dr Zahida Rehman Jatt urged students to cultivate reading habits and participate in research that deepened their understanding of society, culture and history.
The ceremony was also attended by Assistant Director Wajid Channa and Sindh Institute of Music and Performing Arts director Rehmatullah Rajar. Students attending as part of their Anthropology of Art and Music course shared their observations and put questions to the speakers.
In his concluding remarks, Dr Arshad Baloch reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to publishing research on the intellectual and cultural heritage of Sindh and Pakistan.
