Gor Khatri Leaves Students Overwhelmed By Centuries Of Primitive Heritage
PESHAWAR, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – August 21, 2026) Gor Khatri, one of Peshawar’s most significant archaeological and historic landmarks, came alive on Friday as students from public and private educational institutions visited the ancient historic site recently included by UNESCO in its heritage list.
Discovering a past that stretched back more than two millennia, the students carried miniature national flags and smartphones, walking through the stone-paved passages of the historic site in the heart of Peshawar where they listened attentively to archaeologists and teachers who explained how the sprawling complex had evolved through successive civilizations and primitive era.
For many of the young visitors, the trip offered a rare opportunity to experience history beyond classroom walls and libraries.
"Gor Khatri’s visit was always on my priority list and today my dream came true," said Anaya Bibi, a sixth-grade student of Peshawar Model school as her face lit up with joy and excitement. "I have read about Gor Khatri in history books, but being here in person, walking through the same ground where people from so many different periods once lived and travelled, is something amazing."
The visit to UNESCO world heritage site was arranged as part of Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day as educational institutions used the historic occasion to encourage students to learn about the country’s diverse historical and primitive heritage. For the students, the experience turned the day into more than a celebration; it became an opportunity to connect with the glorious past of Pakistan.
Archaeological excavations at Gor Kathri have revealed cultural material dating to at least the 2nd–3rd century BC, with layers associated with Indo-Greek, Kushan, Parthian, Hindu Shahi, Mughal, Sikh and British periods.
UNESCO describes the Gor Kathri complex as a fortified historic and archaeological site occupying an almost square enclosure of about 160 metres by 160 metres within Peshawar’s walled city. "This ancient site is a testament to uninterrupted cultural evolution," said Bakhtzada Muhammad, Assistant Director of Archaeology and Museums, to the students.
He explained that the earliest archaeological layers unearthed here date back to the Indo-Greek period. Visitors can trace the history of Peshawar through coins, pottery, seals, beads, and architectural remains preserved at the site.
Archaeological investigations at Gor Khatri began in 1992 through a joint initiative involving the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums and the University of Peshawar. Subsequent excavations disclosed successive occupation layers that helped strengthen the understanding of Peshawar as one of South Asia’s oldest continuously inhabited urban centres with a documented history of nearly 3000 years.
The discoveries included Roman coins, Kushan pottery, jewellery, seals, and other artefacts.
