Sirkap

Sirkap is an archaeological site on the outskirts of Taxila, Pakistan, founded in the Hellenistic period and known for its planned street grid and fortifications. The site contains remains from Greco-Bactrian, Indo-Scythian and Kushan occupations and presents a multi-layered urban sequence dating from roughly the 2nd century BCE onward.

Excavations revealed a regular street plan, defensive walls, residential quarters and several stupas and monastic features that attest to Buddhist presence and the city’s role as a regional centre. The material culture includes Hellenistic architectural elements alongside South Asian forms, reflecting cultural interaction along trade routes.

Sirkap lies within the Taxila region northwest of present-day Islamabad and is part of the broader Taxila archaeological complex that is recognised for its extensive Buddhist and Hellenistic remains.

• Chronology: Founded in the Hellenistic period and developed under Greco-Bactrian and later Kushan and Indo-Scythian rule, with archaeological layers spanning several centuries.
• Archaeological context: Situated within the greater Taxila archaeological area and excavated in the early 20th century as part of British-era surveys of the site.

What to See #

• Grid plan and fortifications: A regular grid plan of streets and fortification lines demonstrates Hellenistic urban design and subsequent layers from Indo-Scythian and Kushan occupations.
• Stupas and archaeological layers: Excavations uncovered multiple Buddhist stupas, monastic structures and domestic remains dating from the 2nd century BCE through later centuries, illustrating a long sequence of occupation.