The ancient discovery that put a Silk Road city back on the map

A family in the Himalayas has opened a museum showcasing rare and valuable Silk Road artefacts after uncovering a hidden collection of treasures from the legendary trade route. Muzzamil Hussain, who was a child when the 1999 Kargil war broke out, recalls fleeing with his family to the remote Suru Valley. After the war ended and displaced families returned, Hussain's grandfather urged the family to check on an old property near Kargil's bazaar. When they opened the property, they discovered wooden crates containing silk from China, silver cookware from Afghanistan, Persian rugs, turquoise from Tibet, Mongolian saddles, and luxury soaps from London, New York, and Munich—an unexpected treasure trove of Silk Road artefacts. This discovery would later become one of the most significant family-owned collections in India, dramatically shaping Hussain's life.

The region of Ladakh, where Hussain's family has lived for generations, sits along the dangerous Zoji La mountain pass that connects Kashmir to Ladakh. It's a key location along the ancient Silk Road, a vast trade network that spanned from Europe to East Asia. Despite the route being largely abandoned by the 15th century, its legacy lives on in regions like Ladakh, which still retain cultural and historical connections to the Silk Road.

Hussain and I crossed Zoji La together during a trip in 2025, as he told me about his family's discovery and their decision to preserve it. In Kargil, the Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum, named after his great-grandfather, showcases hundreds of Silk Road artefacts, including 18th-century Ladakhi sheep-horn bows and 19th-century Chinese copper pipes. The museum offers a unique perspective, rooted in the family’s personal history, which adds a layer of depth to the artefacts, as emphasized by Dr. Jacqueline Fewkes from Florida Atlantic University.

While Hussain’s uncles manage the museum, Hussain focuses on research and reconnecting with his family’s history. He believes preserving family histories is crucial, especially in an age of modernity. His great-grandfather, Munshi Aziz Bhat, arrived in Kargil in the late 1800s and helped develop a bustling trade hub that connected regions from China to Europe. Hussain finds it fascinating that the area was once so globally connected and cosmopolitan, with traders from across the world passing through Kargil, making it an integral part of the Silk Road network.