Felsbilder und Inschriften am Karakorum-Highway

39 To the right of the previous inscription, in Brahmi: MaHfiga (pho-
to 23).
This proper name has no obvious etymology. The shape of the M
points to a very late date (after 750).^
40 On a rock situated on the Sosul ridge, drawings of hands and
Brahmi inscription: ^g/zzM/nray^ya, "of Samghas[ura]", "hero (mra)
of the Buddhist community" or "hero of the tribe" (photo 24).
The rounded shape of the ^ would allow an early dating: 2nd-4th
cent.
41 On a huge rock in the Sosul dry river bed, in Brahmi:
prtTpfa, "Visnudeva came" (photo 25).
The Brahmi writing looks quite ancient (2nd-3rd cent.?). See also
below, no 46.
42 On the same rock as the previous inscription, in Brahmi:
rfna ;7iaga///, "Satyavarma arrived (agaia) here" (photo 26).
See above, inscription no 12, which looks earlier. Below, two other
faint Brahmi inscriptions.
There are at least five Kharosthi inscriptions in Helor Das West. None
yields a certain meaning. Here are the best preserved ones:
43 ^acaraAyaya, "of Sacaraksa" (photo 27).
It is a probably a Gandhari proper name, <^a(ya-raAya-, "Defender
of the truth", with a genitive ending. Below, faint traces. The open-
headed points to a date later than 50 AD.^
44 On another boulder: ^6^7/++^ (photo 28). Probably a proper
name with a genitive ending. Same date as no 43, for the same
reason.
45 A three lines Kharosthi inscription (photo 29), engraved on
another side of the same boulder.
20 SANDER 1989: 126.
21 FussMAN 1970: 50.
208