Type: Archaeological Site - Rock Art
Province: Gilgit-Baltistan
District: Skardu
Period: Historic
Relative Chronology: 9th-10th Century CE
Description: Katchura is a small beautiful valley situated on the bank of the Nullah of same name. From Katchura a tractor able road leading to Shaghar Thang the last hamlet in this sub- valley and an ancient route passing through a mountain path to Godai Astor. At this place the elevation is 8574 m above mean sea level. A large number of rock carvings are found in Ghaziabad village at Ghoro site. The old name of Ghaziabad is Rzong Khar. The carvings including human figures, ibexes, Markhors, geometrical design are found. Some caves with old walls inside are noticed. Another group of carvings are found near upper Kachura Lake. On the faces of the boulders have ibexes, standing human figures, and a long inscription. Literally some ibexes are made with pecking on the same boulder overlapping the Brahmi inscription. It may have been a resting place or a sanctuary. In any case it was situated at a halt on the way between Skardu to Astor and the edge of the Taim Basin. At Mardacho Brahmi inscriptions in several lines and 17 ibexes are found. The Brahmi inscriptions has to be studied. Detail information will be known after a proper study of the same. Near Govt. High School Kachura we found a stone with 30 ibexes. At Franser Kachura two ibexes on a stone are preserved along the road to Shagarthang. At Chulichen Shagarthang 22 carvings on three stone were recorded. Along the road to Shagarthang Chinese inscription is discovered. This site has multiple periods.
Latitude: 35.444260000
Longitude: 75.453670000
Ownership: Private
Legal Status: Not Protected
Title of Publication: Pak-German Archaeological Mission to the Northern Areas of the Heidelberg Academy for the Humanities and Sciences
Published In: Miscellaneous
Year of Publication: Miscellaneous
Bibliography/Reference: Hauptmann, H.
