Salt Range

In the Himalayas and the Salt Range, rock containing fossil of marine life go back to the Ediacaran period (up to 570 million years ago), which shows these rocks have developed out of sea sediments, and that where the Himalayas are now was once a sea.

History

An inscription found at Kura in the Salt Range records the building of a Buddhist monastery by a person named Rotta Siddhavriddhi during the reign of the Huna ruler Toramana. The donor expresses the wish that the religious merit gained by his gift be shared by him with the king and his family members.

The history of the Salt Range from the thirteenth century CE onwards has been a record of continuous conflict between various landowning and ruling Punjabi Muslim clans, including the Awan, Khokhar, Minhas, Gakhar, and Janjua, for sovereignty over the Salt Range and political ascendancy. According to emperor Babar, the Jud and the Janjua were "two races descended from the same father," who from old times had been rulers of the hills between Nilab and Bhera, that is, of the Salt Range. According to Baburnama: "On one-half of the hills lived the Jud, and on the other half the Janjua." Later the Awans occupied western half of these hills towards Nilab, and Janjuas the eastern part of these hills.

Archeological sites

Two archaeological sites are located close to Kathwai, Kutte Mar, and Tulaja Fort. At Kutte Mar to the Northeast of Kathwai are Muslim graves made of Kangar and the purported grave of a dog that is said to have died defending the wedding procession of its owner from an attack by bandits. Kutte Mar may have been the place where the Khura inscription of Toramana was found. If this assessment is correct, a Buddhist monastery was established here around 500 CE. This inscription and another fragmentary inscription found at Sakaser confirm that this area was a flourishing, center for Buddhism, which is borne out by the extensive archaeological remains.

The Tulaja fort is located on a huge rock outcropping with sheer cliffs overlooking the shrine of Kacchianwalla and the Punjab plains. The entire area is covered with the ruins of defensive walls, houses, and other structures made of large stone blocks. Although one building has been identified as a mosque, it is very difficult to distinguish other religious, military or civil structures. One of the most interesting features is a large square tank made of the flat rectangular bricks, which may have supplied water so that the fort could withstand a siege. Comparing this tank with those in other forts may help in assigning a relative date to its construction. In addition to architectural styles, evidence from any coin found here, may help to indicate if this city belonged to the period of the Turk Sultans, Lodhis or Mughals. Extensive remains of a cemetery and other settlements are on the slopes below the fort. There are also supposed to be some remains on Tulaji across the valley from Talaja.