PAKISTAN:
Makli Tombs
The Makli Necropolis near the old Sindi
town of Thatta is one of the more unusual archaeological sights in Pakistan.
The elaborate tombs spread over 15 km are testament to the wealth of Thatta,
a bustling mercantile centre in the Middle Ages, renowned for colourful
textiles woven bysome 40,000 weavers employed in the hand-loom industry. The
Khans rulers, rich merchants and civil dignitaries lavished fortunes on
monuments to their own importance. Carved by the master stone-masons of the
day, the tombs which include those of some 125,000 Sufi saints, are
embellished with stylised geometric patterns cut in the sandstone - a floral
motif for the grave of a woman, a turban that of a man. The grandest
mausoleum, featuring cupolas and balconies belongs to Isa Khan Tarkhan,
(d.1651) who supervised its completion before chopping off the hand of the
artisan so it could never be repeated. Thatta was constantly being
embellished and while time has taken its toll on the old wooden Hindu
houses, the beautiful Shah Jehan Mosque built in 1644 has been well
restored. Every surface inside the red brick building is covered with glazed
blue tiles and the 93 low domes enables an acoustic range that allows
prayers said in front of the mihrab to be heard throughout the mosque
without the aid of a microphone. Thatta and the Makli Tombs were inscribed
on the World Heritage List in 1981.