Rock Art Heritage
Along Karakoram Highway
About
In northern Pakistan, the ancient route of the Silk Road converged among the mighty Karakoram, Himalayas, and Hindukush ranges, connecting China and Central Asia with the Indo-Pak Subcontinent. For thousands of years, travellers, invaders, missionaries, merchants, pilgrims, and artisans from different cultures entered the region using the legendary Silk Road and its branches. The marks these visitors left on this land can be seen in t rock art, culture, knowledge, and social practices of the region to this day. One of the most fascinating remnants of the meeting of civilizations are the ancient rock carvings found on the boulders and cliffs of the region. The sheer diversity of style and symbolism have marked this area as one of the most important centres of ancient petroglyphs in the world!
Featured Sites
Shatial Site
This is a major rock art site on the left bank of the Indus along the Karakorum Highway in the Upper Kohistan district in KP Province.
Chilas-1 Site
This site is located on the left bank of the Indus in District Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan. It is noted for some of the best specimens of Buddhist carvings in the Diamer district.
Chilas-2 Site
This site is also located on the left bank of the Indus District Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan. It is noted for two types of carvings, prehistoric and historic.
Thalpan 1 & 2 Site
Thalpan-1 site is located on the right bank of the Indus in District Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan.Thalpan-2 site is also located on the right bank of the Indus in District Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan.
Featured Tours
Under this initiative, STFP with the support of UNESCO, AICS and GB Tourism Department, has successfully organized a training workshops for the local community tour guides at Chilas and has established a local tour guides enterprise.
This group of local community tour guides now works to conduct daily sightseeing tours of Rock Art sites around Chilas.
If you are interested to book a tour or want to avail services of trained tour guide to visit rock art sites around Chilas, please contact us by sending a message at WhatsApp number 03459566048 or send us an email at stfp.info@gmail.com
Heritage Handicrafts
Under this project, STFP with the support of UNESCO Pakistan has successfully organized training workshops for the local community women at Chilas to establish a heritage handicrafts enterprise.
This group of local women now works as community based enterprise with the name of Rock Art Heritage Crafts. Their handmade products are available for sale on this page.
