ISLAMABAD: Ban Faqiran, Islamabad’s oldest historical site at the top of the Margalla Hills, has been opened to visitors again after six months of conservation work.

The archaeological remains of Ban Faqiran, dating back to the 2nd to 5th century, were destroyed by heavy rainfall soon after they were excavated by the Department of Archaeology and Museums in 2015-16.

Around two kilometres from the Buddhist caves in Shah Allah Ditta, the Ban Faqiran complex was thought to be a watchtower. But the late archaeologist and historian Dr Ahmad Hassan Dani argued that the Ban Faqiran stupa served as a milestone for travellers, mostly pilgrims, on the way to the 3 BC Dharmarajika monastery that housed some remains of Lord Buddha.

Built by the Maurayan King Ashoka, Dharmarajika is a world heritage site that can be seen from Ban Faqiran, about two and a half kilometres away in the Taxila valley.

Ban Faqiran complex had been damaged by heavy rainfall soon after it was excavated

No significant artefacts were discovered during the excavation and conservation of Ban Faqiran other than a few iron arrowheads and coins as old as the 3rd century BC and as recent as 1963, with impressions of Gen Ayub Khan.

The coins are part of the permanent collection at the Islamabad Museum, which is home to some of the rarest archaeological finds, its director Dr Abdul Ghafoor Lone said.

Archaeologists are still baffled by the remains of a 10-by-10 structure with arches adjacent to Ban Faqiran, which was earlier believed to be one of the first mosques in the region dating back to the times of Mahmood of Ghazni.

“We at the Department of Archaeology still have not found concrete evidence that the small structure with Islamic influence and which did look like a mosque is actually as old as the 10th century AD. Unfortunately, the mosque also collapsed during the heavy rains,” Dr Lone said.

However, the trek to Ban Faqiran has been cleared. The site is now protected; it has been fenced from all sides and a guard has been deputed to protect the land from vandals or land grabbers.

“The stones, some as heavy as 200 kilograms, have been replaced and the wall that collapsed has been strengthened. The roof has been secured with mortar, making the structure waterproof. None of the conservation efforts compromise the authenticity of the historical structure,” Dr Lone said.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2019