Pakistani archaeologists have uncovered rare decorative stones and ancient coins during excavations at a UNESCO-listed site near the historic city of Taxila, offering fresh insight into the earliest urban settlement of the vast ancient civilisation. “The decorative stones are lapis lazuli, a prized semi-precious stone, while the coins belong to the Kushan period,” Dogar said. “Issued between the 1st and 4th centuries AD, Kushan coins evolved from Indo-Greek imitations into a sophisticated imperial currency system,” Suleman said. In addition to the coins, the discovery of deep-blue lapis lazuli fragments sheds light on ancient trade networks. “Its presence at Taxila points to long-distance trade links, particularly with Badakhshan in present-day Afghanistan, a historic source of lapis lazuli,” Dogar said.

Source: The Telegraph January 02, 2026 07:47 UTC