Rawalpindi (TIP)- Pakistani archaeologists have uncovered rare decorative stones and ancient coins during excavations at a UNESCO-listed site near the historic city of Taxila, offering fresh insight into the earliest urban settlement of the vast ancient civilisation.
The finds were made at the ancient Bhir Mound, where experts discovered decorative stones dating back to the 6th century BC along with coins from the 2nd century AD.
According to Dawn, officials described the discovery as the most significant at the site in the past decade.
The report said archaeologists recovered fragments of metamorphic decorative stone identified as lapis lazuli, along with rare bronze coins attributed to the Kushan dynasty, significantly advancing the material understanding of ancient Gandhara.
Aasim Dogar, deputy director of the Punjab Department of Archaeology and head of the excavation team, confirmed the preliminary assessment of the artefacts. “The decorative stones are lapis lazuli, a prized semi-precious stone, while the coins belong to the Kushan period,” Dogar said.
The excavation team sought specialised forensic support to date the metal artefacts. Dogar said detailed numismatic analysis carried out by experts from the University of Peshawar confirmed that the coins bear the image of Emperor Vasudeva, whom historians recognise as the last of the ‘great Kushan rulers’ to govern the region.
Dogar explained that the obverse side of the recovered coins depicts Vasudeva, while the reverse shows a female religious deity. He described this imagery as a defining feature of Kushan-era religious pluralism, which frequently integrated diverse theological traditions.
The artefacts were unearthed on the northern side of the site, specifically in the B-2 trench — one of 16 trenches currently under excavation. Dogar said surrounding evidence indicates that the area functioned as a residential zone.
The latest discoveries reinforce the view that Taxila reached the height of its political, cultural, and economic prominence during Kushan rule, particularly between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. “Under emperors such as Kanishka the Great, Taxila emerged as a major administrative, commercial, and intellectual centre,” Dogar said.
He added that extensive Kushan patronage of Buddhism during this period resulted in the construction of stupas, monasteries, and large religious complexes. The era also witnessed the flourishing of Gandharan art — a unique fusion of Greek, Roman, Persian, and Indian influences — with Taxila at its centre.
Malik Tahir Suleman, a leading numismatist, told Dawn that Kushan coins are among the most important historical sources for studying ancient South and Central Asia.
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