 The site consists of the ruins of two Hindu temples located in Pakistan'sSalt Range mountains | |
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| Location | Khushab District,Punjab,Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Region | Salt Range mountains |
| Coordinates | 32°30′30″N71°56′12″E / 32.508402°N 71.936538°E /32.508402; 71.936538 |
| Type | Temple complex |
| History | |
| Founded | 9-10th century CE.[1] |
| Periods | Hindu Shahi |
| Cultures | Punjabi Hindu |
TheAmb Temples (Urdu:امب مندر), locally known asAmb Sharif (Urdu:امب شریف;"Noble Amb"), are part of an abandonedHindu temple complex on theSakesar mountain, located at the western edge of theSalt Range inPakistan'sPunjab province.[2] Although foundations go back to the period ofKushan Empire, the temple complex was built in the 9th to 10th centuries CE during the reign of theHindu Shahi empire.[1][3]
The ruins are located near Amb Sharef village, onSakesar mountain in theSoon Valley ofPakistan. The ruins form the westernmost ruins of a string of Hindu temples in theSalt Range mountains that includes theKatas Raj Temples andTilla Jogian monastic complex.
The main temple is roughly 15 to 20 metres tall, and built out of brick and mortar on a squareplinth. It is regarded as the "loftiest" of temples built by the Hindu Shahi empire.[4] The temple ruins have three stories, with stairwells leading to inner ambulatories.[5]
The temple is decorated with Kashmiri style motifs on its exterior, including a cusped niche.[5] The structure of the main temple, differs from Kashmiri temples which typically have pointed tops.[5] The main temple is instead similar in style to the nearbyKalar temple, andKafir Kot temple inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa province.[6]
To the west about 75 metres lies another smaller temple, which is 2 story or 7 to 8 meters high,[7] situated near a cliff. The temple features a small vestibule chamber facing towards the main temple. It was a few metres from a second similarly sized temple, which no longer exists.[5] The entire temple complex was surrounded by a fortification, with the earliest construction at the site dating to the lateKushan period.[5]
The site was visited byAlexander Cunningham in the late 19th century, and was partly conserved in 1922-24 by Daya Ram Sahni.[5] The temple had been looted over the centuries. The last remaining statuary was taken in the late 19th century and placed in theLahore Museum.[5] The site is currently protected by Pakistan'sAntiquities Act (1975).
| Shakta pithas |
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| Notable temples |
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