THE ANCIENT INDO ~ GREEK CITY OF BAZIRA IN PAKISTAN

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 Ancient Bazira is a city located in the south end of the Swat valley in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. 

It is about 20 km away from Mingora and from Butkara. It is the entrance town to Swat valley with a population of 25,000 approximately. The Italian Archaeological Mission (renamed ISMEO), founded by Giuseppe Tucci has been excavating ruins of the ancient town of Bazira under Barikot since 1984.

The indogreek walls of Bazira 

The expeditions in the 1980s and 90s discovered an Indo-Greek town from around the time of King Menander I in the 2nd century BCE. 

Beginning in 2011, an excavation in the southwest corner of the site discovered several older settlements. One pre-Indo-Greek level was dated to the mid 3rd century BCE or in the middle of the Mauryan era. An earlier town was probably destroyed after it was conquered by Alexander the Great during the 4th century BCE. 

Another view of the Indo-Greek defensive walls

The 2nd century  BCE town covered an area of about 30 acres at its peak, including the acropolis.It was surrounded by a defensive wall with massive rectangular bastions.The excavations have discovered a number of artifacts which document the daily life of the residents, such as  coins, pottery and weapons. 

The statue of the deity found in Bazira. The clothes, cup of wine and the goat head indicate that it is Dionysos.

Another statue depicting a deity sitting on a throne, with long, curled hair, holding a wine goblet and a severed goat head in his hands represent Dionysos, the Greek God of wine.

Also, other interesting findings include a large schist statue of the Buddha and a stupa with two lions.

For the full photo tour of Bazira , take a look at the source HERE