Talking rocks in danger

Pakistan is going to lose one of the most precious rock art carvings due to construction of the Diamer-Basha Dam. The proposed site of the dam hosts some 30,000 ancient art carvings and inscriptions which may vanish forever due to the construction of this reservoir.

Some of the carvings and inscriptions are more than 10,000 years old which provide a window to discover ancient lexicography, history, anthropology, culture and lifestyle of the people settled in the upper Indus area.

There is an urgent need to preserve these sites so that they remain a part of world heritage. – Photos courtesy by Harald Hauptmann / Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Germany.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/18/talking-rocks-in-danger.html




A simple and beautiful representation of Buddha, discovered at Thalpan area.

This veneration of Stupa was discovered from Chilas area and belongs to 1st to 2nd century A.D.


The new symbols of the Sun and the Axe appeared in the last era of Buddhism. Both Sun and Axe were the symbol of power of the times.

Another masterpiece carving of the Buddhist era with Stupas and writings in three different languages of Kharoshti , Brahmi and Sogdian.

Some 5000 inscriptions or writings have been discovered from the upper Indus area. Their study provides an insight of ancient languages and history of the region. In this image different scripts can be seen:

1: Karosthi
2: Brahmi
3: Brahmi
4: Proto-Sarada
5: Sogdian
6: Middle-Persian
7: Partian
8: Bactrian
9: Chinese
10: Hebrew
11: Syrian
12: Tibetan