Kot Diji
Kot Diji is located in the province of Sind at a distance of about 24 km from Khairpur. Excavation at this site started in Nov. 1955. Remains of a city were un-earthed, which, it was estimated, dated back to 2600 years BC, about 4600 years from today. First authentic information about the pre-Harappa settlements of the Indus Valley were acquired from the relics found at Kot Diji.
Harappa
Harappa is located at a distance of about 20 Km from Sahiwal, a district headquarters in the Punjab, 180 km from Lahore. It lies very close to the Peshawar Karachi Highway. Remains of the city reveal interesting details about the very developed civic life, astonishingly modern for its age. Ruins of this 4000-year-old defunct civilized city attract tourists and archaeologists from all over the world.
Moenjodaro
Moenjodaro is a Sindhi word meaning literally 'mound of the dead'. Obviously, this is not the original name of the city; it was given after the ruins of the city were unearthed in the last century. Moenjodaro is contemporary of Harapa; there is great similarity between the two cities. The ruins of Moenjodaro cover an area of more than five km and lie scattered on the right bank of the river Indus. It is located at about 320 km north of Karachi.
Taxila
Ruins of the historic city of Taxila are located at a distance of 16 km from Islamabad. The ruined city was a centre of the magnificent Gandhara civilization. According to the mythical accounts of the Jain Mat the city is many million years old, but the excavations made at the site of the city reveal that it was founded in the year 600 BC. (About 2600 years from now).
The city flourished for about one thousand years. The other cities located in the valley around the city of 109axila, so far un-earthed, are much older than Taxila itself. Sarai Khola is one of these which the experts believe, is even older than Harappa and Moenjodaro and seems to be closely linked with Kot Diji.
In the days of Ashoka, Taxila emerged as the paramount seat of learning, most modern in its time and unique throughout the world. The University of Taxila catered the needs of a large number of students pouring in from all parts of the world to study Buddhism (the then state religion), arithmetic, surgery and philosophy. Exquisite pieces of sculpture turned out by the workshops in Gandhara receive greater acclaim form the art critics, even today, than any other style in the subcontinent.
Bhirmound
Is another remarkable site in the chain of Gandhara cities. The name was given by the archaeologist in the last century. Bhirmound was a part of the Iranian Achaeminian Empire. This dynasty ruled from 518 to 359 BC. At the time of Alexander's onslaught in the year 326 BC the city was alive and vibrant. Ashoka ruled Bhirmound as the viceroy of his father. Mauryans ruled the city for three centuries. In the year 189 BC the city was conquered by the Greeks.
Organized and well planned cities of Sirkap and Sirsukh, temple of Jandhyal and the Buddhist monastery at Julian are the sites of great Hindu and Buddhist archaeological and religious interest.
Sawat
Apart from its archaeological and historic importance, the breath taking scenic beauty of the Sawat Valley makes it a paramount tourist attraction. 'Ora' the city of gardens, was the old headquarters of the valley. This city was destroyed by the Mahmud of Ghazna nearly a thousand years back and could not be recovered.
The valley is located at the boundary of the Gandhara and was an important centre of day ancient Buddhist civilization the valley of Sawat is held in high religious esteem by the followers of Buddhism, especially by the sect prevalent in Tibet. The statues of Buddha and utensils found in the valley are objects of keen interest for archaeologists and historians.
Bhambore
Approximately 3000 year old (1000 BC) historical site Bhambore is located at a distance of 64 km from Karachi. The site is often identified with Debal, the historic Sindh port conquered by Muhammad Bin Qasim in 712 A.D. Bhambore, today, stands as a high mound of ancient debris. Extensive excavation has been carried out at the sight, ancient relics include the most ancient mosque so far discovered in South Asia. Devastation of the city was perhaps caused by foreign invasions or due to the change of the course of the Indus River. Archaeological evidence further suggests that the city met a general holocaust, somewhere in the 13th century, which might have led to the destruction and final abandonment of the city.
Mansura
Mansura was the city founded by the Arabs after they occupied Sindh. The city had a strong fortification around, with four gateways. There was a magnificent mosque erected in the centre of the city. There are many stories about how the city was named, most probably it was founded by Muhammad Bin Qasim's son Omer and named 'Mansura' to commemorate his round of victories Mansura is an Arabic word which literally means "success". The city was later abandoned due to unknown reasons. Exact location of Mansura remained a matter of controversy among the researchers. Lately the mass of ruins known as Dalur was identified as being the site of defunct Mansura city; this is situated at a distance of about 13 km from Shahdadpur railway station. Excavations carried out at Dalur between 1920-22 have revealed Arab coins, the remains of a mosque and certain other relics.
