Taxila

Taxila has been inscribed in 1980 upon the World Heritage List of the conventions concerning the protection of the World cultural and natural Heritage. Inscription on the List confirms the exceptional universal value of a cultural site, which deserves protection for the benefit of all humanity.

Taxila is a Greek abbreviation of Sanskrit �TAKSA + SILA� which means Taksha (Serpent) + Hills implying that the region was inhabited and ruled by Takshas. According to puranic Hindu belief, Takshas were from serpent race that had the power of assuming the human form at pleasure. Mahabharata mentions that �Aryan King Janamejaya of Hastinapur defeated Takshas in the region and carried out wholesale massacre of the defeated local inhabitants. The new conqueror after his victory performed the great snake sacrifice at Takshasila while vaisampajyana recited Mahabharata for him during the ritual ceremony�. This power transfer did not affect the name, and it has come down as Takshasila in Sanskrit, although its real meaning has lost.

Sir John Marshall and his colleagues (1913-30), Sir Mortimer wheeler and A. Ghosh (1944-45), Dr. M. Sharif (1967-68), M. A. Halim (1968-72), Gulzar Khan (1984-85), Bahadur Khan (1989-2001) and Dr. M. Ashraf Khan (2000-2001) excavated at Taxila and revealed a longer sequence of human settlement than the times of the hero of Mahabharata. Following periods of history have been attested at Taxila:-

Sarai Khola I.   Late �Neolithic period settlement.   C.3500-3000 B.C.
Sarai Khola II. Early-Harappan settlement    C.3000-2180 B.C.
Hathial II.   Early Aryan settlement   C.1100-800 B.C.
Bhir Mound I Achaemenian urban settlement C.600-400 B.C.
Bhir Mound IA Capital City of King Ambhi C.331-323 B.C.
Bhir Mound II Mauryan Provincial Capital C.305-190 B.C.
Sirkap I Bactrian Greek City   C.190-90 B.C.
Sirkap II Scythian City    C. 90 B.C.
Sirkap III Parthian City    C. 60 A.D.
Sirsukh. Kushana City    C. 78 A.D. 480 A.D.

The late Neolithic period at Sari Khola I is marked with the presence of hand-made red burnished pottery, polished ground stone Chisels and mace=-heads and parallel sided blades, scrappers, and bone points, awls and needles etc Stone grinding slabs with grinders. Animal and birds bones included those of domesticated and wild species.