EPIGRAPHY OF MAKLI

The medieval South Asia was different from the modern world we see around us; the cultural values, the physical forms produced, the aesthetics followed were all relevant to the sensibilities of the period, amazingly interesting and curious. The intelligent observer finds reasons to look for the material, which can help build the bridges across the centuries for better understanding.Thatta was a prosperous trading center, supported by a very busy port, linking it with a highly cultured middle and near east. Makli a necessary corollary of the Thatta town has preserved a small but exceedingly picturesque part of the culture of Thatta. It is the funerary art of the town that has put Thatta under limelight.One of the largest Muslim necropolis in Asia and Africa it has all the potentials to present picture of a late medieval town with a developed crafts tradition, a flourishing production base, a vibrant society, welcoming novel architectural trends, wide maritime trade and love for arts and literature.The present study is only comprehensive documentation available, to capture the essence and spirit of the epigraphy of the World Heritage Makli. It provides modern reading to the paleography of the medieval period, backed up by analytical study of material it contains, whether sacred or funerary, supported by comprehensive indexes to help utilize all encompassing text.A work of an eminent scholar and expert of the field it opens up many possibilities for further probe and study of the past of Thatta-Makli.