Tangha Rock Carvings

The Rock Carvings of Tangha is located 20m west of the metaled Road leading from Zhobe to Muslim Bagh and then Quetta. Since ancient times the region of Baluchistan has been an important crossroad between Central Asia, Iran and the Indian Subcontinent. In the curse of millennia hunters, tradesmen and pilgrims from those areas have passed through this region and left signs of their culture and religions. This passage is attracted by tens of thousands of engravings carved into the rocks during their toilsome journeys along their ancient routes. The smooth surface of numerous rocks and boulder, tanned by the relentless sun over the millennia, has also been used by local inhabitants for the inscription and pictures. Accordingly rocks drawings are found near settlements and resting places along the river. Since prehistoric given the same location have attracted the passersby to add their own engravings. Thus, a unique and lasting achieve gradually collected here, reflecting different aspects of the cultures and histories of Central Asia and South Asia. The engravings of Tangha site passes more than 100 cliffs and boulders at the fort of the hills with different types and shapes of rocks engravings are carved. These carvings are engraved in the granite and lime rock whose surface is carved with dark brown patina. These engravings represent anthropomorphic and 200 morphic figures depicting bulls, humped bulls, wild goats, sun disc, worriers and archers, hunters and geometric patterns. These rocks of Tangha site shows close similarity with those documented various parts of Baluchistan particularly Zhobe Valley, the North Baluchistan in Mustache and Suliman Ranges and upper Indus Valley may be date to Chalcolithic Period as told verbally by Dr. Fazal Dad Kakar.