Korea Heritage Service (Administrator Choi Eung-Chon) and the Korea Heritage Agency (President Choi Young-Chang) have begun a joint excavation of the Mankiala Stupa in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Islamabad (Director-General Dr. Abdul Azeem).

*Stupa: A rounded tomb and an anti-sphere structure that contained the relics of Buddha
**Mankiala Stupa: A Buddhist stupa located in the northwestern part of Pakistan, approximately 20 km southeast of Islamabad, the capital city. It is believed to have originated around 1-2 AD and remains in good condition, particularly in the upper part, allowing for an assumption of its original shape.

In this project, two experts from the Korea Heritage Agency (an archaeology specialist and a conservation scientist) and seven students from the Department of Archaeology at Quaid-I-Azam University, who are expected to lead the future of archaeology in Pakistan, are also participating. The project mainly focuses on capacity building, including training on the use of equipment that are recently being used in excavation sites. The project will take place from October 7th to December 6th.

Professor Ghani-ur-Rahman, the Director of Taxlia Institue of Asian Civilizations at Quaid-I-Azam University stated, “This project will be an excellent opportunity for students, as there was no archaeological excavation project in Islamabad since 2016,” He also added that he selected the most brilliant senior level students to participate in the excavation.

The Joint Excavation Project of the Gandhara Ruins at ‘Mankiala’ is being conducted as part of a Korean ODA (Official Development Assistance) project in Pakistan. The goal of this project is to enhance capacity for preserving cultural heritage by teaching the use of the latest technologies, such as Drone, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and Total station.

Especially, as a pilot project under provisions of the agreement between Pakistan and Korea.Project mainly focuses on capacity building and uncovering the lower buried structures of the Mankiala Stupa. The data collected during excavation will be useful for preservation and conservation of the stupa.

Mr. Hassan Nasir Jamy, The Secretary of the National Heritage and Culture Division stated, “We appreciate the efforts of the Korean Government in cooperating in the field of cultural heritage and hope this project not only builds capacity of our cultural heritage professionals for preserving cultural heritage but also nurtures future generations of archaeologists in Pakistan.”

Mankiala Stupa is very popular in Korea as the Stone Pagoda of Casket Seal Dharani (Bohyeobin Stupa), designated as a National Treasure and currently housed at Dongguk University Museum, is beautifully adorned with carvings of the "Prince Sattva Jataka" story which is associated with the Mankiala Stupa.

The Mankiala Stupa in the Rawalpindi region is known as the site where Prince Sattva (Salta) offered his body to a starving tigress. Due to its massive size, the stupa is easily visible from afar and is recognized as one of the four great stupas in the region, which flourished during the Gandhara period. This is the site where the current joint excavation is taking place.

Pakistan has accumulated a rich cultural heritage from ancient times, including the Indus Civilization, Gandhara art, and Islamic architectural heritage. The Korea Heritage Agency will continue to provide support and cooperation in the fields of culture and tourism through the ODA project.

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1 The Tale of Prince Sattva (Jataka): Before attaining nirvana in his final life, the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) accumulated virtue through countless previous lives. One such story is the Tale of Prince Sattva, who sacrificed his own flesh and blood to save a starving tigress. This story was introduced to Korea at an early stage and is even mentioned in the conversation between King Beopheung and Ichadon in the Samguk Yusa.