Isn’t it very difficult to carve a rock with a hammer and an iron nail in a hot deserted climate; just to leave a message for someone? Definitely, it is!

But if we talk about the ancient arts, human expressiveness and communications; it becomes an in-depth subject. Petroglyphs are one of the chapters of this subject written on thousands of stones and rocks throughout the world. To understand the early civilization and the social developments in different geographical areas, petroglyphs are very important clues.

Chilas is a hot deserted area encircled with rigid and stony mountains. It was an important trade spot on the Silk Route. People from Kashmir to China and Russia used to travel on this route for business, wars, pilgrimage and tours.

Right on the Karakoram Highway, these exclusive art works are done by the locals, traders, soldiers and other travellers on the ancient Silk Route. From 5000BC to 1000BC old these petroglyphs give Chilas a unique importance. The human, animals, scenes of hunting and triangular shaped carvings give hints of the cultural, religious and geographical pasts.