Sirkap - an archaeological site on the bank opposite to the city of Taxila

[ghazi52]

Sirkap is the name of an archaeological site on the bank opposite to the city of Taxila, Punjab.

The city of Sirkap was built by the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius after he invaded ancient India around 180 BC. Demetrius founded in the northern and northwestern modern Pakistan an Indo-Greek kingdom that was to last until around 10 BC. Sirkap is also said to have been rebuilt by king Menander I.

The excavation of the old city was carried out under the supervision of Sir John Marshall by Her Grew from 1912–1930. In 1944 and 1945 further parts were excavated by Mortimer Wheeler and his colleagues.

The site of Sirkap was built according to the "Hippodamian" grid-plan characteristic of Greek cities. It is organized around one main avenue and fifteen perpendicular streets, covering a surface of around 1,200 by 400 meters (3,900 ft × 1,300 ft), with a surrounding wall 5–7 meters (16–23 ft) wide and 4.8 kilometers (3.0 mi) long. The ruins are Greek in character, similar to those of Olynthus in Macedonia.

A Nereid riding a Ketos sea-monster, stone palette, Sirkap, 2nd century BC.
Numerous Hellenistic artifacts have been found, in particular coins of Greco-Bactrian kings and stone palettes representing Greek mythological scenes. Some of them are purely Hellenistic, others indicate an evolution of the Greco-Bactrian styles found at Ai-Khanoum towards more indianized styles. For example, accessories such as Indian ankle bracelets can be found on some representations of Greek mythological figures such as Artemis.

Following its construction by the Greeks, the city was further rebuilt during the incursions of the Indo-Scythians, and later by the Indo-Parthians after an earthquake in 30 AD. Gondophares, the first king of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom, built parts of the city including the double headed eagle stupa and the temple of the sun god. The city was overtaken by the Kushan kings who abandoned it and built a new city at Sirsukh, about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) to the north-east.

 

[ghazi52]

It may be mentioned that the remains of Sirkap belonged to four distinct periods of pre-Greek, Greeks, Scythians and Parthians. The city was founded approximately in the first quarter of the 2nd century BC by the Bactrian Greek king Menander.

The city was well planned and fortified. The builders introduced their ionic and Corinthian orders of architecture at Sirkap.

The Greek influence enhanced further under their successors Scythians and Parthians.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

This is absolutely one of my favourite sites in Pakistan. Having been educated and brought up in Europe, Sirkap's Greek connection really chimes with me.

 

[ghazi52]

Information boards at the entrance to the ancient city of Sirkap tell visitors about the site’s rich history.

The ancient city of Sirkap was once a thriving ancient metropolis, complete with streets, houses, shops and places of worship.

Stairs made in the Grecian style, leading to one of the legendary city’s of ancient Buddhist civilisation.


Sirkap flourished under various regimes, from the Greeks to the Scythians, Parthians and finally the Kashanas, but the city lost its importance after King Kanishka of the Kushan dynasty founded the nearby city of Sirsukh.

Corinthian columns – a quintessential Grecian style of architecture – stand tall at the stupa.
Sirkap means severed head, and is the name of the mythological demon that feasted on human flesh and killed the hero Rasalu, that was said to have lived on the site. Sirkap was founded by the Bactrian King Demetrius, who conquered the region in the 180s BCE, and was the second city of Taxila. The city was rebuilt by King Menander, and after the Bhir Mound site was abandoned Sirkap became the main city of Taxila, in the 2nd century BC.

The Apsidal temple stands despite time and climatic effects.


Taxila Institute of Asian Civilisations director Dr Ashraf Khan said the city was influenced heavily by Grecian city planning principles introduced after Alexander the Great’s conquest in the 3rd century BC. Demetrius, who thought of himself as a Greek, built the city on the Hippodamian plan: like a gridiron. The city was expanded by Gondophares, who also built the famous Double-Headed Eagle Stupa and the Temple of the Sun.

People stroll down the streets of Sirkap, once a legendary civilisation.


Dr Khan said Taxila’s sanctuaries reflect the multicultural nature of the Indo-Greek kingdom, which consisted not only of the Punjab, but also of Gandhara, Arachosia and part of the Ganges valley.

A guards’ room located at the entrance to the city. Such an arrangement indicates that residents tried to keep the city safe using defensive measures.


A.G. Lone, an archaeologist who discovered BC-era lamps from a Jain temple in the area during 2004 and 2005, said the city’s symmetrical pattern was born of the Greek Hellenistic period. Apollonius – 44 AD – drew a parallel between the planning of Sirkap and that of Athens during his travels, and said it was the size of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. The walls of the city are made from coursed rubble masonry, characteristic of the Greek and Saca periods.

A preserved well, which was once the main source of water for Sirkap’s residents.


Immediately behind the gate was what was probably a guard’s room. A Greek visitor, whose description of Taxila was included in Philostratus’ Life of Apollonius, said the houses seemed like they were only one storey, but also had basement rooms.

The main street of Sirkap city.


Now a ruin, the city once boasted a 6 metre thick and 5 kilometre long defensive wall also made of coursed rubble.

Ruins of various religious buildings depict the religious diversity that existed among the city’s residents.


There was a fortified acropolis or high ground within the defence perimeter, and the streets of the city were more regular than those in Bhir Mound – the first city of Taxila.

A view of the ruins of Sirkap.


Along the North-South main street once stood temples, houses, shrines and stupas and on the east side of the street stood the shrine of the Double-Headed Eagle, the Apsidal Temple, and a palace on the South end.

 

[KAMDEV]

It may be mentioned that the remains of Sirkap belonged to four distinct periods of pre-Greek, Greeks, Scythians and Parthians. The city was founded approximately in the first quarter of the 2nd century BC by the Bactrian Greek king Menander.

The city was well planned and fortified. The builders introduced their ionic and Corinthian orders of architecture at Sirkap.

The Greek influence enhanced further under their successors Scythians and Parthians.

minander became buddhist and got new name milind .

Information boards at the entrance to the ancient city of Sirkap tell visitors about the site’s rich history.

The ancient city of Sirkap was once a thriving ancient metropolis, complete with streets, houses, shops and places of worship.

Stairs made in the Grecian style, leading to one of the legendary city’s of ancient Buddhist civilisation.


Sirkap flourished under various regimes, from the Greeks to the Scythians, Parthians and finally the Kashanas, but the city lost its importance after King Kanishka of the Kushan dynasty founded the nearby city of Sirsukh.

Corinthian columns – a quintessential Grecian style of architecture – stand tall at the stupa.
Sirkap means severed head, and is the name of the mythological demon that feasted on human flesh and killed the hero Rasalu, that was said to have lived on the site. Sirkap was founded by the Bactrian King Demetrius, who conquered the region in the 180s BCE, and was the second city of Taxila. The city was rebuilt by King Menander, and after the Bhir Mound site was abandoned Sirkap became the main city of Taxila, in the 2nd century BC.

The Apsidal temple stands despite time and climatic effects.


Taxila Institute of Asian Civilisations director Dr Ashraf Khan said the city was influenced heavily by Grecian city planning principles introduced after Alexander the Great’s conquest in the 3rd century BC. Demetrius, who thought of himself as a Greek, built the city on the Hippodamian plan: like a gridiron. The city was expanded by Gondophares, who also built the famous Double-Headed Eagle Stupa and the Temple of the Sun.

People stroll down the streets of Sirkap, once a legendary civilisation.


Dr Khan said Taxila’s sanctuaries reflect the multicultural nature of the Indo-Greek kingdom, which consisted not only of the Punjab, but also of Gandhara, Arachosia and part of the Ganges valley.

A guards’ room located at the entrance to the city. Such an arrangement indicates that residents tried to keep the city safe using defensive measures.


A.G. Lone, an archaeologist who discovered BC-era lamps from a Jain temple in the area during 2004 and 2005, said the city’s symmetrical pattern was born of the Greek Hellenistic period. Apollonius – 44 AD – drew a parallel between the planning of Sirkap and that of Athens during his travels, and said it was the size of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. The walls of the city are made from coursed rubble masonry, characteristic of the Greek and Saca periods.

A preserved well, which was once the main source of water for Sirkap’s residents.


Immediately behind the gate was what was probably a guard’s room. A Greek visitor, whose description of Taxila was included in Philostratus’ Life of Apollonius, said the houses seemed like they were only one storey, but also had basement rooms.

The main street of Sirkap city.


Now a ruin, the city once boasted a 6 metre thick and 5 kilometre long defensive wall also made of coursed rubble.

Ruins of various religious buildings depict the religious diversity that existed among the city’s residents.


There was a fortified acropolis or high ground within the defence perimeter, and the streets of the city were more regular than those in Bhir Mound – the first city of Taxila.

A view of the ruins of Sirkap.


Along the North-South main street once stood temples, houses, shrines and stupas and on the east side of the street stood the shrine of the Double-Headed Eagle, the Apsidal Temple, and a palace on the South end.

well preserved.

 

[ghazi52]

A Nereid riding a Ketos sea-monster, stone palette, Sirkap, 2nd century BC.