29-03-18
SIRSUKH THE THIRD ANCIENT CITY OF TAXILA
The approximate location of this site is 33°46'24.47"N, 72°50'53.50"E
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| LARGE DIAPER MASONRY 2nd A.D to 3rd A.D, and later |
The remains of the ancient
city of Gandhara civilization, Sirsukh, which have also been included in the
World Heritage List for their unique archeological value , deserve protection
so that the future generations can also marvel at this rich heritage of the
country.
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| Google Earth View imagery of Site |
When the Kushan
invaders decided to abandon the city of Sirkap (the second city of Taxila) and
built a new one in its place, they selected a new site known as Sirsukh. The
Great Kushans, after succeeding the Parthians, laid the foundation of the third
city site in a lush green valley in 80 A.D. about 1.5 km north east of Sirkap.
What reasons the
Kushans had for abandoning the existing city can only be surmised. But the more
potent reason may have been that shortly before the Kushans arrival, the Sirkap
city had been hit by a deadly plague which wiped out half of the city's
population.
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| RUINED'S OF FORTIFICATION WALL |
According to the folk
legend of "Raja Rasalu and seven demons", Sirsukh was the second
brother of Sirkap who ruled this city. Unfortunately, the excavations at
Sirsukh conducted during 1915-16 remained limited only to a portion of its
fortifications on the eastern side.
The new city,
Sirsukh, is slightly rectangular, measuring nearly 1,500 yards along its
northern and southern sides and 1,100 along its eastern and western. In the
interior of Sirsukh, conditions are less favourable for digging than those in
Sirkap, for nearly all the area enclosed within the walls is low-lying and
abundantly irrigated, with the result that the ancient remains are buried deep.
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| LARGE DIAPER MASONRY 2nd A.D to 3rd A.D, and later |
Besides, the few
mounds, which stand out among the cultivated fields and which are expected to
be covering some more remains, are now occupied by the graves of locals and,
hence, cannot be excavated.
The city wall is
18-feet thick and externally provided with a heavy rolled plinth to strengthen
its foundations. Defence wall is supported by semi-circular bastions with
opening from inside. The walled city is measured 4,500 feet east to west and
3,300 feet north to south.
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| LARGE DIAPER MASONRY 2nd A.D to 3rd A.D, and later (FORTIFICATION WALL) |
On the south and east
sides of the city, the mounds which cover the ruins of the ancient walls still
rise clear to view above the surrounding fields, but the northern and western
walls have almost disappeared. And, on these two sides, it is now difficult to
trace their alignment. The wall, constructed on rubble, was faced with
neatly-fitted limestone masonry.
A comparison between
Sirsukh and Sirkap fortifications, shows some essential differences. The
Sirsukh walls are faced with the heavy diaper masonry which was characteristic
of the Parthian and early Kushan periods, compared to the rubble masonry
characteristic of the Greek and Saka periods.
The closing years of
the 5th century witnessed a ruthless invasion of Gandhara and Taxila by white
Huns that brought an end to the Kushans glorious rule and left Taxila in a shambles.
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| LIVING CELLS |
Most of the trade and
trade routes were disrupted, and economic prosperity diminished to the lowest
ebb. The city and the entire Buddhist religious and educational establishments
were deserted, and left to ruins.
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| LARGE DIAPER MASONRY 2nd A.D to 3rd A.D, and later |
