The origin of the term “Hindu Kush” (and whether it translates as “Indian Killer”) is a point of contention. The earliest known use of this name was by the famous Arab traveller, Ibn Battuta c. 1334, who wrote: “Another reason for our halt was fear of the snow, for on the road there is a mountain called Hindukush, which means “Slayer of Indians,” because the slave boys and girls who are brought from India die there in large numbers as a result of the extreme cold and the quantity of snow.”
