Nowadays, tillyu tapa, or mound of gold in dari, looks like a circular mound of soil and it is the damaged walls which grasp the visitors attention first. Oil flask squat lekythos depicting nike sacrificing a bull between ares and aphrodite greek, classical period, about 394390 b. Crowning this headlinemaking exhibition is a famous hoard of bactrian gold. Afghans restore museum relics destroyed by taliban. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new. Fifteen years before, the treasure, known as the bactrian hoard, had been. Inside the quest to save afghanistan s bactrian gold a trove of glittering artifacts unearthed in afghanistan in 1978 revealed the stunning cultural diversity of the silk road in the first. The tillya tope treasure was kept along with the foreign exchange and gold reserves of afghanistan. Huge ancient afghanistan bactria indoeuropean steppe. The grecobactrian empire circa 180 homeland afghanistan. Book thracian gold artifacts treasures from bulgaria archaeology rogozen.
The pictures of our soldiers dying in a country that years ago used us resources to minister to afghan mujahedeens which ultimately helped defeat the soviet unions military occupation of the nation. The golden rhino of mapungubwe is one of the most important artifacts discovered in south africa. There was a sensational event in 1978, which got a huge resonance all over the world. Regarding bactrian gold, all officials kept saying that the treasure was safe and protected. Ancient afghan gold dazzles again longhidden bactrian treasure surfaces briefly for cataloging carlotta gall, new york times published 4. More broadly bactria was the area north of the hindu kush, west of the pamirs and south of the.
Bactrian gold a treasure hunt christmas specials the. Bactrian gold treasure of afghanistan gallery of the. Anyone interested in central asian cultures, scholars of members of the public, would enjoy this volume. Tillyu tapa, the hill where the bactrian hoard was discovered in 1978, is constantly being excavated by treasure hunters. Crowning this headlinemaking exhibition is a famous hoard of bactrian gold, considered to be one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. Hiebert inventoried the artifacts at the request of the afghan government. Precious mertalwork and gems of the preislamic era. From the excavations of the tillyatepe necropolis in northern afghanistan. Bactrian gold treasures, hidden from the taliban by the director of the national museum and protected with his own life. A gold goddess pendant called bactrian aphrodite, from the first century, discovered in 1978 on the archeological site of tillia tepe in northern afghanistan. A trove of glittering artifacts unearthed in afghanistan in 1978.
Bactrian gold provides an elusive and fascinating look at the ancient culture of what is now afghanistan. Some of the artifacts from the bactrian horde were later exhibited in paris. Inside the quest to save afghanistans bactrian gold a trove of glittering artifacts unearthed in afghanistan in 1978 revealed the stunning cultural diversity of the silk road in the first. Exquisitely crafted in gold and ivory, the artifacts illustrate afghanistans key. He is the editor of two books on the ancient cultures of afghanistan. Saving relics, afghans defy the taliban the new york times.
Afghanistan displays its hoard of bactrian gold asia pacific. Famous bactrian gold from afghanistan most of what we know of afghanistans countryside is filled with images of war and strife. Meaning golden hill, tillya tepe is located in bactria, an ancient region. Bactria proper was north of the hindu kush mountain range and south of the amu darya river, covering the flat region that straddles modernday afghanistan, tajikistan and uzbekistan.
This vault was under operative control of one gentleman. This is the treasure of tilya tepe, the hill of gold, from near the oxus river in northern afghanistan and it has quite a story to tell. Begram, alexandria of the caucasus, capital of the kushan empire by pierre cambon. If you would like to contribute and invest to creation of this unique collection, please contact us. The bactrian hoard was discovered exactly 30 years ago to the north of the hindu kush by a team of greek and soviet archaeologists headed by victor sarianidi. Afghanistan displays its hoard of bactrian gold asia. Amruddin askarzai and normally he had the keys to the vault. Askarzai in a jail and was released and asked to report back for work. Afghanistans bactrian gold an ancient heritage of diversity.
The man who helped save afghanistans treasures from ravages of war this article is more than 3 years old najibullah popal squirrelled away priceless gold from kabuls national museum and. Rival factions took over kabul, and the national museum was subsequently bombed. Inside the quest to save afghanistans bactrian gold. Along with the rhino, 9 kilograms 20 lb of golden jewelry, beads, and other animal figures have been recovered.
Afghan artifacts, bactrian gold headed to ottawa a touring collection of ancient afghan artifacts, including gold from the famed bactrian hoard, will make its sole canadian stop in ottawa this. Anthropologist and afghanistan expert thomas barfield gives a panoramic view of afghanistan, from founding dynasties to the failed central asian states of today. Director of national museum of afghanistan hid trove of artifacts in wartorn country for 14 years to save it from looters. From the excavation of the tillyatepe necropolis in northern afghanistan by victor sarianidi and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Afghanistan, standing at the crossroads of major trade routes, has a long and complex history. All told, dafa surveyed hundreds of archaeological sites and historical monuments, and uncovered thousands of unique cultural and historical artifacts relating to afghanistans prehistory, stone age, bronze age, and the achamaenid, greco bactrian, kushan, sassanidhepthalyte, hindu shahi, and islamic, period before and after the mongol invasions. Gold stater gold 20stater of the grecobactrian king eucratides i 175150 bce, the largest gold coin ever minted in antiquity. Ancient gold artifacts from afghanistan, hidden for more than a decade, dazzle in a. The excavation team rapidly recovered as many of the gold objects as they could, and delivered the gold to the national museum in kabul. Afghan artifacts, bactrian gold headed to ottawa cbc news. Forging civilizations along the silk road is a valuable resource and an essential companion to the exhibition catalog, both of which help the reader understand the history, culture, and art of central asia. Bactrias fertile soil and protective barriers of both the turanian desert and the hindu kush mountains allowed the bactrian culture to thrive in their work and their arts.
Browse the gallery and unearth a treasure trove of some of the worlds most incredible gold artifacts. January 3, 2016 many bactrian pieces made after alexander the greats conquests are included in an extraordinary new book arts of the hellenized east. Beautiful and informative book with wonderful photos of the artifacts. All of this bactrian gold, as it has come to be called, was painstakingly photographed and inventoried by the soviet team and signed over to afghanistans national museum in kabul in.
Bactrian gold a treasure hunt christmas specials the economist. It is composed of thin sheets of gold foil hammered over a delicately carved wooden frame. Its rich cultural heritage bears the imprint of many traditions, from greece and iran to the nomadic world of the eurasian steppes and china. Called the bactrian gold, after the area at the crossroads of the trade routes between china, india and the mediterranean, it was unearthed in 1978 by a russian team. Tillya tepe translated literally as golden hill is an archaeological site in the northern afghan province of jowzjan near sheberghan. The war in afghanistan started in the middle of the excavation of six kushan graves in tillya tepe. Exquisitely crafted in gold and ivory, the artifacts illustrate afghanistans key place at the crossroads of europe, the middle east, and asia, at the center of the ancient silk roada rich heritage to be displayed at four major u. Photo by francois durandgetty images ancient art ancient egyptian sculpture art decor axe head ancient artifacts art ancient sculpture glass art. It is simply not possible that artefacts of such value can just disappear in front of the eyes of the world, he said. A touring collection of ancient afghan artifacts, including gold from the famed bactrian hoard, will make its sole canadian stop in ottawa this. The bactrian culture and its surrounding kingdoms date to 2200 b. Book bactrian gold ancient jewelry afghanistan persian art. Ancient bactrias golden hoard by viktor ivanovich sarianidi. Bactrian culture and artifacts updated their status.
The new grecobactrian empire prospered by encouraging trade across the region. Bactrian gold collection is biggest find of gold in xx century, unparalleled anywhere in the world. From the tillyatepe excavations in northern afghanistan v. A decade later, as conflict engulfed afghanistan, a top secret plan was launched to keep the treasure safely hidden from looters. They took from afghanistan lapis lazuli and various other minerals and gems. A trove of glittering artifacts unearthed in afghanistan in 1978 revealed the stunning cultural diversity of the silk road in the first century a. From the excavations of the tillyatepe necropolis in. Famous bactrian gold from afghanistan ancient digger.
The sovietafghan expedition conducted excavations in afghanistan, quite unexpectedly, discovered a treasure, one of the most expensive and large on the planet, which was. Exquisitely crafted in gold and ivory, the artifacts illustrate afghanistans key place at the. Bactrian gold from the excavations of the tillyatepe. History magazine inside the quest to save afghanistans. The famous bactrian gold collection is one of the worlds finest pieces of antique art, which remained almost untouched by the violence and wars that had been scattered afghanistan in the past decades. Afghan artifacts, bactrian gold headed to ottawa cbc news cbc. Bactrian gold from the excavations of the tillyatepe necropolis in northern afghanistan. Continues sariandi, today the priceless golden hoard of tillya tepe. After resuming his job, he got the vault door repaired and new government could again handle the foreign exchange reserves. Afghanistan museum intrigue saves countrys gold cbs news. The best books on afghanistan recommended by thomas barfield. Catalogue of a small collection of bactrian and indian coins, in gold, silver, and copper, the property of a gentleman, including an unpublished coin of muhammadbintughlak, a gold coin of narses, also unpublished. Soon after, afghanistan dissolved into the chaos of war.
Bactrian hoard, a cache of some 20,000 gold, silver and ivory objects recovered from ancient burial mounds in northern afghanistan in the. Afghanistan seems in prehistory, as well as in ancient and modern times, to have been connected by culture and trade with the neighbouring regions. Paris a year before the soviet army invaded afghanistan in 1979, archaeologists in the north of the country dug up a trove of delicate artifacts from the. The artifacts indicate that the indigenous people were small farmers and herdsmen, as they are today, very probably grouped into tribes, with small local kingdoms rising and falling through the ages.
To help create the exhibit and book, archaeologist and national geographic society fellow fredrik t. Afghanistans national museum, which at times had been used as a military base, had been shelled and set on. The essays in this volume concentrate on periods of great artistic development. The cache was discovered under the currently popular hill of gold, in tillyatepe, where it had been resting for more than 2000 years.
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