Historians and archeologists are trying to trace the ancient history of Hunza in the inscriptions carved on rocks near Ganish village. However, these inscriptions have no clue about the local settlements and appear just like a Guest Book for ancient travelers who traveled from Central Asia and China to India. The origin of the Burusho people and their language is a mystery that may never be solved.
In the historical accounts the local people relate their origin with the soldiers of Alexander the Great (July 356 BC to June 10, 323 BC). It is said that in 326 B.C when the forces of Alexander the Great was on way back and passed through Hunza, five of the soldiers becoming ill, lagged behind in Hunza. These soldiers made this valley their home. However, here it is also not known that before their arrival there was any human settlement or not. If there was no human settlement in the valley then, here it is not clear that from where these soldiers married? It is also said that Hunza was not in the route of the soldiers of Alexander.
According to another theory three (3) generals in Alexander’s army have married Persian women. The generals betrayed Alexander by giving the Persians his plans. When Alexander heard of the betrayal he sought to take revenge, but the generals, wives and a band of many soldiers fled. The valley of Hunza is thought to have been their valley of refuge because of its remote and secure location. It is likely that the Hunza valley was already sparsely inhabited when the Macedon generals arrived. Certainly these tough fighting warriors made quick work of slaughtering the ancient inhabitants of Hunza. Though this is purely speculation, it is highly probable. The desolate rocky valley could not have supported the Macedonians unless some farms had been slowly built by others over the preceding centuries.
People also narrate that the earlier settlers migrated in the valley either from central Asia or from Shigar. It is said that, once the Brusho were occupying major parts of the present day Northern Areas that was called Brushal but latter the invasion of Shins pushed them to Hunza, Nagar and Yasin Valleys. It is said that human settlement was first started in Nagar valley from where people migrated to Hunza. If this is true then there is great chance that the people migrated this area through Shigar. Major tribes of Altit migrated Hunza from Hakhashal; an old settlement near Hopper Nagar.
According to Biddulph , Brushu people conquered Hunza in 120 B.C. E, after which they captured Shigar and Baltistan. The word “Brushal” comes from Brushu, which is ancient name of Peshawar. In Tibetan history Hunza is named as Bruza and the people of the area were called Burushos. During 11th century A.D., the shins invaded the region and pushed Buroshos to Hunza and Yasin Valleys. In Hunza they settled Ganish, Altit and Baltit villages and up to 18th century the local people were restricted within these 3 fortified villages. However, Dr Ahmed Hassan Dhani writes that the people of Hunza proper belong to Dard race of the Yashkun caste and have nothing to do with the Huns.
In another account it is said that the White Huns – warrior tribes from Central Asia – conquered the Kabul Valley, the Indus valley and the Northern Areas in the early 6th century A.D. They ruled through several local Shina and Burushiski kings called “Rajas”, who were subordinate to the Hun Emperor. It is also said that the ancient ancestors of the Hunzu Kuts were called Moghul. While passing through the Hunza valley, their leader Mughal Tithum, was injured when kicked by a horse and had to stay there in care of his most trusted men. After recovering he established the communities of Baltit, Altit and Ganish. However, today the Hunza people are from diversified background. People from central Asia, Baltistan, Diamer and many other areas migrated and settled in the valley.