I found this article in Scroll.in.
"You must have heard of the 8,000-plus strong Terracotta Army of Xian, in China, but have you heard of the mysterious Horsemen of the Pir Panjal?
The Pir Panjal is a sub-range of the Great Himalayan mountain system that stretches from Murree in Pakistan to the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh. Across the Pir Panjal were ancient trade routes connected by passes locally known as Galis. Strewn along these old trade routes through the passes, between the Kashmir Valley and Jammu, you will come across mysterious and spectacular sculptures of soldiers on horseback. Mostly unknown outside the region, these ancient sentinels are only known to trekkers and locals who make their way through here.
The horsemen and the manmade markers around the natural springs | Prashant Mathawan.
The Horsemen of the Pir Panjal are found mostly at the foot of the Galis or on the main Gali itself and they usually have a natural water spring and accompanying pond nearby. There is no doubt that these sculptures mark important strategic points on ancient routes that connected various villages in the Pir Panjal. These were probably markers to identify milestones or resting places for weary horses and men. However, little is known about who built them and when."
They are located in the mountains of Northwest India, one of the first regions settled by the Indo-Aryans in the Late Bronze Age. IMHO, the statues are too primitive to date from the historical Hindu period (from c. 500 BCE) and therefore probably date from the Vedic period (c. 1500 – c. 600 BCE), which also corresponds geographically. It's odd that so little is known about them and that they remain so little known, even in South Asia. They are clearly a site of great historical and cultural importance, maybe even a potential World Heritage Site.
"You must have heard of the 8,000-plus strong Terracotta Army of Xian, in China, but have you heard of the mysterious Horsemen of the Pir Panjal?
The Pir Panjal is a sub-range of the Great Himalayan mountain system that stretches from Murree in Pakistan to the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh. Across the Pir Panjal were ancient trade routes connected by passes locally known as Galis. Strewn along these old trade routes through the passes, between the Kashmir Valley and Jammu, you will come across mysterious and spectacular sculptures of soldiers on horseback. Mostly unknown outside the region, these ancient sentinels are only known to trekkers and locals who make their way through here.
The Horsemen of the Pir Panjal are found mostly at the foot of the Galis or on the main Gali itself and they usually have a natural water spring and accompanying pond nearby. There is no doubt that these sculptures mark important strategic points on ancient routes that connected various villages in the Pir Panjal. These were probably markers to identify milestones or resting places for weary horses and men. However, little is known about who built them and when."
They are located in the mountains of Northwest India, one of the first regions settled by the Indo-Aryans in the Late Bronze Age. IMHO, the statues are too primitive to date from the historical Hindu period (from c. 500 BCE) and therefore probably date from the Vedic period (c. 1500 – c. 600 BCE), which also corresponds geographically. It's odd that so little is known about them and that they remain so little known, even in South Asia. They are clearly a site of great historical and cultural importance, maybe even a potential World Heritage Site.
