Site older than Mohenjodaro found in Pak

An archaeological site dating back about 5,500 years and believed to be older than Mohenjodaro has been found in Pakistan's southern Sindh province. A team of 22 archaeologists found some semi-precious and precious stones and utensils made of clay, copper and other metals during an excavation at the site in Lakhian Jo Daro in Sukkur district yesterday."At present, we can say that it (the site) is older than Mohenjodaro," Ghulam Mustafa Shar, the director of the Lakhian Jo Daro project, told Dawn newspaper. The find is said to be of the Kot Diji era, experts said. Shar said the remains of a "faience" or tin-glazed pottery factory had been found at the site. It is believed to be of the era of mirror factories in Italy that date back to some 9,000 years.A painting has also been found at the site and the discovery of more such items could establish the site as 9,000 years old, like the remains found at Mehargarh in Balochistan and Jericho in Palestine, Shar said. Archaeology professors and students from Punjab University, Peshawar University and Islamabad will soon join the team from Shah Abdul Latif University that is currently excavating the site in Lakhian Jo Daro. Work on the second block of the site will continue for a month and more items could be found, Shar said. Local officials have asked Shar to prepare proposals for setting up a museum at the site.