Photo: Department of Archaeology & Museums, Government of PakistanField guides / Diamer Division / Fairy Meadows & Nanga Parbat / Thalpan Rock Carvings
Field guide · Heritage
Diamer Division
Diamer District · Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Thalpan Rock Carvings
Thalpan, located in the Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, is a significant archaeological site with rock carvings dating from the 9th-8th millennium BCE to the post-Buddhist period.
Situated near Chilas along the upper Indus Valley, the site features carvings on rocks and boulders, including prehistoric animal scenes, such as a two-tailed predator hunting a stag. Notable carvings include the "altar rock" with depictions of Persian-dressed men and a sacrificial scene. Buddhist-themed carvings, including Jataka tales and images of stupas, further highlight its cultural importance. Thalpan is on private land; its findings were published in 2017 by the Baltistan Culture and Development Foundation.
Why go
- ✦Rock carvings from the 9th–8th millennium BCE to the post-Buddhist period
- ✦A two-tailed predator hunting a stag, and the 'altar rock'
- ✦Jataka tales and stupas carved on the boulders
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, April–May or September–October. Thalpan is across the Indus from Chilas, where summer days reach the mid-30s °C on sun-baked rock. The site is on private land, so ask locally before visiting.
Getting there, At Thalpan, across the Indus from Chilas, Diamer district, Gilgit-Baltistan; the site is on private land.
What to Do
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Thalpan Rock Carvings, within 5 km.
