Kino Kot

The hilltop settlement Hodar Kino Kot, is located on the eastern side of the entrance to the Hodar valley, which is separated from the slopes of the Indus valley by an extended saddle. The peak rises to somewhat more than 100 m above the average Indus level. A deserted settlement called at the time of M.A. Stein Kino Kot i.e., black village-fortress, by the inhabitants of Hodar is situated here. The ruins are prominent and visible from a far distance. Houses and court yards positioned close together and cover almost the whole of this mountain spurs. Prof. A.H. Dani dealt with this site in his book on the rock carvings in Chilas. Since a connection with the rock carving site Hodar village, lying immediately at the foot of Kino Kot, cannot be excluded. Numerous ruins of buildings, irrigation canals, terrace fields and other traces of settlement are preserved. A large number of grinding stones and their fragments lie scattered all over the area. The natural conditions-steep scree slopes, which are difficult to climb-protect the settlement. The spurs situation allows a vantage over a wide area of the Indus valley. It is striking that some of the buildings are surrounded by small courtyards or rooms with rounded walls and corners in a honeycomb like manner. Between the Kino Kot and the mountain slopes, some ruins of large buildings as well as a huge retaining wall erecting from very large quarry stones that fortifies the slope to the north-east direction. Close to the Hodar Gah remains of terrace fields irrigation canals are visible. Some fragments of pot shards found entirely of handmade fabric, only few shards belong to a fine, wheel-turned ware.