Evidence of Christians arriving over 1,000 years ago taking the form of an ancient marble cross has been found in the foothills of the Karakoram mountain range of the Himalayas.

The discovery of the approximately 1,200-year-old cross is possible proof of Christianity's arrival in northern Pakistan early in history, Barnabas Fund reports.

Called the Kavardo Cross, the artifact is estimated to weigh about four tonnes and was discovered by three University of Baltistan researchers and local mountaineers.

It spans 2.1 metres by 1.8 metres and was found near the group's basecamp in the Pakistan region bordering China, Afghanistan, and India.

The University of Baltistan has plans to research the artifact in partnership with institutions in Europe and North America. Local historians will also assist in their studies to determine the exact age of the cross. If this can be done, the cross would show Christian origins in Pakistan.

The importance of this comes as Christians face significant persecution in the South Asian country. Pakistan is the fifth-worst country in the world for persecution against Christians, according to the Open Doors USA World Watch List.

"Praise the Lord, this makes me very joyful," a Pakistani Christian leader says.

"It will be a great encouragement to Christians in Pakistan to show that our faith was here many, many generations ago, before Islam came."

The cross' location is near the village of Karvado, which would have once been on the Silk Road trade route between China and Pakistan.

The research team says carvings on the cross are similar to traditional Buddhist notations. They believe this suggests the Christians who made the cross had converted from Buddhism.