One of the oldest era monument discovered in Lahore Fort, Pakistan
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LAHORE: One of the oldest era monument have have been discovered in Lahore Fort.
A Shahi Hammam [royal bath] aging back to Mughal Emperor Akbar’s reign has been discovered at the Lahore Fort while clearing debris from a neglected section behind the Jahangiri Quadrangle and near the fort’s Akbari Gate.
Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) experts say the structure is a mark of the earliest settlement inside the fort during Akbar’s era and it was revealed after removing almost 100,000 cubic feet of debris.
According to sources, the Shahi Hammam was a part of the Akbari Palace and the later constructions or expansions by Mughal emperors Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb were made on other sides.
“Previously, the area was neglected and had been turned into a junkyard where piles of debris and garbage could be seen,” sources said.
They added that the Archaeology Department never took up maintenance of different parts of the fort and so important places like the Barood Khana [British-era arsenal] and Royal Kitchens were also buried under debris and wild plantation. “New structures are being revealed since after WCLA took up the task to clean the fort.”
Many times the question of looking into the age of Lahore fort arose but no steps were taken for any excavation or studies, they said while speaking of the negligence of the authorities’ concerned.
