South Asia’s Oldest Living City in Peshawar 

APP

Peshawar: Recent excavations at Gor Kathri, an archaeological site in Peshawar, have revealed that the city boasts a documented history of nearly 2400 years, making it the oldest continuously inhabited city in South Asia.

Located in the heart of Peshawar, the excavations were conducted by renowned Pakistani archaeologists Professor FA Durrani and Professor Dr Ihsan Ali have confirmed that Peshawar’s history dates back to 539 BC.

Bakhtzada Khan, Senior Research Officer at the Archaeology Department, told APP on Wednesday that multiple excavations at Gor Kathri—a square-shaped compound with a rich history of various historic eras—have unveiled significant insights into the culture and traditions of Peshawar’s ancient civilizations.

Gor Kathri, meaning “Warriors’ Grave,” was initially discovered by Alexander Cunningham alongside the Kanishka stupa and later identified by Professor Dr. Ahmed Hassan as the site of the famous tower bowl of Lord Buddha.

The excavations have uncovered ancient architectural designs, food, and languages from ten of the earliest civilizations that thrived in Peshawar.

These findings were published in the British Journal Current World Archaeology, which highlighted the deepest and most extensive excavations revealing about 20 layers of Peshawar’s history, ranging from the British era back to the pre-Indo-Greek period.

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Peshawar was part of the Persian Achaemenid Empire from the 4th to 6th centuries BC and later influenced by the Mauryans, Greeks, Scythians, Kushans, Sasanians, White Huns, Ghaznavids, Slave Dynasty, Ghorids, Suri Afghans, Mughals, Durrani, Sikhs, and the British before the creation of Pakistan.

Throughout its history, Peshawar was conquered by Greeks, ruled by Buddhists, rebuilt by Brahmins, invaded by Ghaznavids, captured by Mughals, overrun by Sikhs, and annexed by the British. Various religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Christianity, took root in Peshawar before the arrival of Islam, said Bakhtzada Khan.

He also mentioned the discovery of human remains in Soan Valley, Punjab, Pakistan, dating from the Early Paleolithic period (2 million to 90,000 years ago). 

Excavations at Sangaro Cave in Mardan in 1963 revealed remains from the Middle Paleolithic period (9,000 to 27,000 years ago). These discoveries indicate early human settlements in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Artifacts from the Neolithic period (around 8,000 years ago) were found in sites such as Mehar Ghar in Balochistan, Rehman Dheri in DI Khan, and Sheri Khan Tarkai in Swabi. The findings demonstrate that people began making clay and stone utensils during this time.

The graves of Aryan invaders discovered in Aligrama Swat, Sangota Chitral, and Timergara Dir Lower date back to around 2,000 BC. 

The Gandhara civilization, which emerged after the Persian conquest in the 6th century BC, laid the foundation for writing and education in Swat, Dir, Mardan, Charsadda, and Peshawar.

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Alexander the Great’s invasion through Khyber Pass in 327 BC faced resistance from the Youafzai tribesmen in Swat and Kunar valleys. His general, Seleucus, established rule over Indian territories, and the Indo-Greeks introduced Greek art and Buddhism to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In 1001 AD, Mahmud Ghaznavi defeated Jayapala, the last Hindu Shahi King, and spread Islam in the subcontinent. In 1505, Zaheeruddin Babar, founder of the Mughal Empire, entered through Khyber Pass, capturing regions like Kohat and Bannu before defeating the last Lodhi King.

Ahmad Shah Abdali’s reign (1747–1772) saw several campaigns from Peshawar, interrupted briefly by the Marathas in the early 1750s. The Sikhs, under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, took control of Peshawar in 1818, and it remained under Sikh rule until 1923.

Qissa Khwani Bazaar was a center of attraction for international traders and merchants, who enjoyed its famous Chappli Kabab and other cuisine while exchanging cultural stories before trading in Central Asia and the Subcontinent.

Peshawar is home to approximately 3,000 historical sites, including 1,840 ancient buildings. Besides Gor Kathri, notable protected sites include Dalazak Tomb, Kotla Mohsin Khan, Sakhi Mahuddin Tombs, and Chacha Younas Monument.

The British-era Sethi House, known for its unique architectural value and wood craftsmanship, has been acquired by the KP Government and converted into a museum.

The Peshawar Museum, one of the world’s largest museums of Gandhara art, houses 400,000 rare antiquities and artifacts, including a complete life story of Lord Buddha, attracting Buddhists and monks globally.