Indo-Greek blacksmith discovered in Pakistan

Peshawar is the first city in Pakistan which 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 Indo-Greek. They base their statement on tools retrieved on 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 labeling the site as a blacksmith.

Excavations also have 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 systematical excavations.