Shaikhan Dheri

The ancient site of Shaikhan Dheri is situated in the vicinity of Charsadda about 32 km north of Peshawar. Excavations at the site of Shaikhan Dheri revealed three main phases in life of the city including those of the Greeks at the bottom, Scytho-Parthian in the middle and the Kushan on top. The exposed ruins of Shaikhan Dheri could be well compared with the Sirkap ruins of Taxila. Deep diggings at the site suggest that the city was originally built on alluvial soil and it is on this soil that the floor was made up of river pebbles. Important datable discoveries like the copper coins of Menader, Agathocles, apollodotus from the earliest level indicate that the city was founded by one of the early Bactrian Greek conquerors of the region in about the middle of 2nd century BCE. Again, the discovery of a number of Siva and bull type coins of the Kushana ruler Vasudeva-I from the topmost level is a clear indication of the abandonment of the city during his reign towards the close of 2nd century C.E. The city was well planned with regular system of parallel streets and the side-streets crossing at right angles. The houses were provided with drains, refuse pits and pools which were mostly built of stone. The earlier period walls were found in stone diaper masonry while the Kushan period ones were all of mud-brick. Among the hoard of antiquities from Shaikhan Dheri included coins, stone sculptures, terracotta human animal figurines, brides, wheels inscriptions, grinding mill stones, perforated ring stone lamps, weights, iron object, seals, stone and terracotta beads, bangles, finger-rings, antimony rods, copper mirror and gold ornament like pendant, era-ring and circular bead etc. In all 475 coins including one gold, four silver and the reaming of copper were recovered. Stone sculptures consist mainly of Buddha besides Bodhisattvas and some other images. Stucco figures were also encountered at Shaikhan Dheri. Terracotta human figurines comprise the Baroque Ladies, besides a large number of both male and female.