Fourth Lecture – Overview of the state of archaeology in Pakistan and Gandhāra (第四讲 巴基斯坦和犍陀罗地区的考古现状概述)

This book is based on a series of lectures delivered at Beijing University's College of Archaeology and Museology in autumn 2022. It covers the main regions of Asia to the west of China. The first lecture provides an overview of the historical context of the Middle East from the 4th to the 3rd century BC. Lectures 2 to 8 cover the India-Pakistan region. - the social evolution of the Indus Valley civilisation - the historical development of Buddhism in India - Italian archaeologists' work in Pakistan, especially in the Swat Valley, over the past 70 years The authors of this book are all renowned Italian scholars who work in several research institutions, and they showcase the latest developments in Asian archaeological research and the global perspective of Chinese archaeologists. The article reports on the state of historical archaeological research in Pakistan between Sindh and the upper Indus (Karakorum), with a focus on the research on Gandharan art, archaeology and history and, in particular, that of the Italian Archaeological Mission in the Swat Valley.