Can this be an ancient Christian cross?

Byline: Father Gulshan Barkat

IT was a rough rock face down whose rugged back side stood like a small rock pointing to heaven. University of Baltistan made a historic discovery when its three-member expedition team headed by Vice Chancellor Mohammad Naeem Khan and comprising Dr Zakir Hussain Zakir and Dr Ishtiaq Hussain unearthed a huge marble cross in the mountain range of Kavardo in the Skardu area of Baltistan division. The news of this important cultural discovery was announced on 14 June and made ripple effects among archaeologists and historians around the globe.

How does the cross look like?

According to Naeem Khan, 'The cross is made of marble rock material, most probably from nearby mountains, since the marble used for the cross is found on surrounding mountains.' It weighs three to four tons measuring vertically six feet and seven inches while horizontally six feet four inches. The front side is finely finished while the back side is rough. It looks as if this cross is still unfinished from behind. It is possible that it is half done.

The discovery of the cross in Skardu may open new avenues of academic collaboration between researchers of Pakistan and western world

The down part of the cross is broken. How much is broken and where the broken piece is, is not yet known. Then is it a Latin cross or a Nestorian cross? These questions need thorough answers, based on scientific methods.

The antiquity of the cross is not yet clear until date of its origin is established by radiocarbon dating method.

Geography of the find

It is very interesting to note location of this important discovery. This location is not very far from Old Silk Road, a network of roads which joined China, Central Asia and Subcontinent with Persian Empire in the East and Byzantine Empire in Western Asia. By the year 600 Persian Empire in the East included part of Afghanistan and a slice of present day western part of Balochistan. The location of the discovery of the cross was not part of the then Persian Empire, although Old Silk Road made a linkage between Baltistan and the Persian Empire.

My observations

Christianity flexed its missionary muscles in Persian Empire in fourth century. But the dawn of the fourth century brought persecution to Eastern Christians while peace to Western Christians. King Shapur II (309-379) of Persian Empire started persecution of Christians in his empire in 340s. There is a possibility that some of Christians and missionaries living on...