Famous for ancient Balahisar Fort and Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Peshawar was officially declared by the Archaeology Department as the ‘Oldest Living City’ in South Asia with its history goes back to 539BC.
Director Archaeology and Museums, Dr Abdul Samad Khan told mediamen that recent Gor Kathri’s scientific excavation has disclosed that Peshawar was the oldest living city in South Asia inhabited by the humans with diversified culture, language and architecture. He said Gor Khatri excavation, architectural designs, food and languages have revealed that eight to ten ancient civilizations existed in Peshawar.
The excavation at Gor Khatri, which continued for several years and published in British Journal ‘Current World Archaeology’ titled `The deepest and biggest excavation in the world’ has revealed 20 layers that provide a complete profile of the Peshawar city ranging from British down to pre-Indo-Greek era.
The excavation discovered that Peshawar was a province of Persian Alchamenian Empire in four to six century BC and later came under the influence of Mauryans, Greeks, Scythians, Kushans, Sasanians, White Huns, Ghaznavis, Slave Dynasty, Ghoris, Suri Afghans, Mughals, Durrani, Sikhs and the British before the creation of Pakistan. Conquered by Greeks and ruled by Buddhists, Peshawar had witnessed rebuilding by Brahmins, invaded by Ghaznavis, captured by Mughals, over run by Sikhs and annexed by British in succession.
Despite witnessing the onslaught of worriers, kings and invaders that marched from Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics to the Subcontinent through historic Khyber Pass, Dr Samad said that Peshawar’s remained intact and a centre of attractions for tourists and traders since its establishment.