North-West Frontier Province: Gandhara and historic sites

Gandhara sculptures, archaeological sites, and collections from Swat offer different cultural and historical perspectives on North-West Frontier Province. In Peshawar, an important historical thread leads to the Peshawar Museum: it was established in November 1907 to house Gandhara sculptures from significant archaeological sites.

Peshawar and the Gandhara sites

The sites whose sculptures the museum was intended to house included Shah-Ji-Ki-Dheri in Peshawar, Sahri Bahlol, and Takht-i-Bahi in Mardan District. Jamal Garhi and other Gandhara sites excavated by British researchers were added later. The museum is located in Peshawar, the provincial capital. This connects its origins to a series of archaeological sites rather than attributing them to just one place. The examples mentioned range from Shah-Ji-Ki-Dheri in Peshawar to Takht-i-Bahi in Mardan District. Looking at several sites helps put the breadth of the history of the Gandhara collection into context.

Gor Khatri in Peshawar’s old city offers a different perspective. This fortified historic and archaeological complex lies at one of the highest points within the old city. Here, the site itself takes center stage, while the history of the Peshawar Museum is explored through its sculptures and their findspots. At Gor Khatri, the fortifications, historic character, and archaeological complex together create a distinctive experience. Its location within the old city adds a specific topographical dimension to this context.

Takht-i-Bahi and its surroundings

The surroundings of Takht-i-Bahi also offer a direct connection between archaeological sites: nearby are the ruins of Sahr-i-Bahlol, a small fortified town from the same period as Takht-i-Bahi. Both their proximity and their shared historical period are relevant for orientation. The Buddhist remains of Takht-i-Bahi can also be viewed through an available virtual tour. JavaScript is required to view it. In addition to exploring the archaeological sites, a digital resource about Takht-i-Bahi is therefore available.

Gandhara art and collections in Swat

The Swat Museum opened to the general public in 2014. It displays a large historical collection of Gandhara sculptures excavated locally. The pieces are arranged and labeled to illustrate the life of the Buddha. This gives the collection a thematic context: the sculptures are not presented only as individual objects, but brought together in an account. The ethnographic section also displays local embroidery, carved woodwork, and antique jewelry from Swat. The same museum thus presents two different subject areas: Gandhara sculptures arranged around the life of the Buddha, and objects from local embroidery, woodwork, and jewelry traditions. For trip planning, this offers a varied view of collections from Swat without conflating their archaeological and ethnographic content.

Other historical examples in Pakistan

In the broader context of Pakistan, other historic sites can be considered for their different features. Taxila in Punjab Province is an extensive series of archaeological sites. These include a Mesolithic cave, the remains of four early settlements, Buddhist monasteries, as well as a mosque and a madrasa. Rohtas Fort was built in the 16th century at a strategic location in the north of Pakistan’s Punjab Province. Its main fortifications comprise massive walls with a perimeter of more than four kilometers, 68 bastions, and twelve monumental gates. The comparison shows two different scales: a series of sites with several archaeological components and a fortified complex whose layout is defined by its walls, bastions, and gates. These examples broaden the perspective on Pakistan’s historical heritage to include other archaeological and architectural forms.

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