Shatial
  Shown within South Asia  Shatial (Karakoram) | |
| Location | Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°31′37″N 73°32′36″E / 35.52694°N 73.54333°E |
Shatial is a transit station with archaeological significance on Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan.
Location
Shatial is an important transit station consisting mainly of shops, rest places, and
Archaeological sites
As a historical
Indus river. Iranian merchants left behind over 550 inscriptions dating from third to seventh centuries in the Sogdian language,[2][3] nine in the extinct Bactrian language, and two in Middle Persian and Parthian each.[4] Many of these inscriptions are short, consisting of just the names of the travelers, though in some cases names of two or more family members are also mentioned.[4] Many inscriptions also mention a date, possibly of arrival, but it is unknown whether this refers to the date or year of journey.[4] Nanaivandak, a famous merchant from Samarkand who is a subject in Susan Whitfield's book Life Along the Silk Road,[5]
wrote the longest such inscription reading:
Nanai-vandak, the (son of) Narisaf, came on (here) the tenth and have requested the favor from the soul of the holy place Kart (that) I reach
Kharvandan very fast and see (my) dear brother in good (health).[3]
These Iranian inscriptions are significant in providing insight on the naming traditions of Sogdians of the time as some of these are
Sasanian period (224–651 AD).[4]
Scripts and graffiti in ancient
Brahmi and Kharosthi languages are found on the rocks revealing that the place also served as a Buddhist shrine. The Buddhist travelers venerated these inscriptions and artwork, particularly a large triptych with drawings of a stupa and Sibi Jataka.[3]
References
- ^ "Introducing Shatial". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
- ^ ISBN 3-8053-2027-2.
- ^ ISBN 9780470674253. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
- ^ ISSN 1023-3881. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ISBN 9780520232143. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
nanaiVandak.
Further reading
- Arif, Muhammad (2001). Study of Petroglyphs of Buddhist Period along the Silk Road between Shatial and Khunjerab Pass, Northern Areas, Pakistan (PDF) (PhD). Higher Education Commission Pakistan. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
