The National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research in collaboration with Research Centre for Islamic History Art and Culture (IRCICA) is organising a three day International Conference/Congress on Islamic Archaeology, to take place in Islamabad during the first week of November 2010. The IRCICA, being an organ of OIC, is particularly interested in the participation of all countries of Muslim World and in a comparative analysis of archaeological data of Muslim states. The NIHCR, being a Pakistani institute is interested in South Asian, and particularly Pakistani finds of archaeology in the Muslim period.

This is the fifty eighth International Congress to be organised by IRCICA and the first in collaboration with NIHCR. The NIHCR for its part has organised a number of national and international conferences during the last 35 years. The Muslim rule in the Sub-continent spans over one millennium and it would be worthwhile to look into this era from an archaeological perspective.

Please find enclosed the first circular of the congress and the list of the proposed themes by the NIHCR. Further information on the modalities will be communicated to you in a second circular, where the IRCICA will identify their area of interest in the congress.

We will greatly appreciate your cooperation in informing the interested academic circles about this congress.

Thank you in anticipation.

With best regards  

Dr Khurram Qadir
Director NIHCR

First Circular

The objective of this Conference on Islamic Archaeology is to facilitate discussions on the archaeological heritage of the Muslims particularly in South Asia.

The Muslims dominated various parts of North Africa, Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia for over one millennium and built some amazing architectural wonders. Mosques, shrines, graveyards, gardens, bridges, city walls and forts were built during the period of Muslim rule; the material remains reflect the distinctive features of Islamic culture.

The pattern and style of these buildings also indicate the continuity of the local styles which existed in areas where the Muslim states were established. In South Asia, and particularly in Pakistan, these included Indus valley and Gandhara civilisations, which flourished in this area. The signs of Muslim archaeology are scattered across Pakistan from ancient mosques of northern Pakistan to the great necropolis of Makkli, Sindh. There is immense potential to look into the cultural and archaeological studies of this area and to identify its various links and influences with the arts and architecture of the world inhabited by Muslims.

The main themes of the congress are attached. The sessions will be arranged thematically and each paper presentation will be allowed twenty minutes duration. The languages of the Congress will be English, Urdu and Arabic. A selection of the papers to be presented in the congress will be published as a book.

Prospective participants are invited to send the titles of their proposed papers by 31st of December 2009 and the abstract by 28th February 2010 to:

National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (Centre of Excellence), Quaid-i-Azam University, New Campus, Shahdrah Road, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Email: nihcr.ibd@gmail.com
OR
Yildiz Sarayi, Seyir Kosku, Bulvari, 34349 Besiktas / P.O. Box 24, Besiktas, 34354 Istanbul - Turkey
Email: ircica@superonline.com

Main themes of the congress

• Archaeology

a) Undiscovered sites mentioned in historical text
b) History of excavations
c) History of conservation and preservation

 

• Material Remains

a)Architecture
b) Coinage
c) Metrology
d) Manuscripts
e) Arts
f) Artefacts

 

• Technologies

a) Calligraphy
b) Metallurgy
c) Surface Decoration
d) Science and Technology

 

• Contact of the Muslim World and Other Civilisations in;

a) Africa
b) Europe
c) Middle East
d) Far East and China