Indo-Greek blacksmith discovered in Pakistan

Peshawar is the first city in Pakistan that Hephaistion and Perdiccas reached with about half the Macedonians as they proceeded east from the Khyber Pass to build a bridge over the Indus River. Alexander, with the other half of his troops, marched north along the Kunar/Chitral River to take the Aornos Rock (modern Pir Sar).

[Picture from the Archaeology News Network - Credit : Dawn]

It is close to Peshawar that Pakistani archaeologists found the remains of iron workshops, dating them to the 2^nd century BC, a period known as the Indo-Greek. They base their statement on tools retrieved from the site, like iron melting pots, molds, trowels, knives, and drills that were used to make bows and arrows, daggers and swords. The archaeologists have also unearthed remains of furnaces and grinding stones, all leading to the labeling of the site as a blacksmith.

Excavations have also revealed coins from the Indo-Greek period, but without further details. It would have been interesting, however, to know, for instance, the name of the king(s) depicted on these coins in order to narrow down the time frame.

Anyway, it is great to gather every bit of information about the Indo-Greek period since so little is available due to the fact that this empire has not been subject to systematic excavations.