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Faces of Central Asia

© Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen / Gunvor Lindström [source]

The sculpture probably showed a Graeco-Bactrian ruler, he is wearing a typically Persian headgear.

From the Temple of Oxus, 3rd-2nd century B.C.E. 

Painted gypsum on clay

The Temple of the Oxus; B. A. Litvinskiy and I. R. Pichikiyan https://www.jstor.org

Relief clay decorations from the walls of the main reception chamber in the hall of the Yuezhi’ palace an the Khalchayan settlement [a major site of the Yuezhi (later Kushan) people in Bactria, today Surxondaryo Province, Uzbekistan]. 1st century BCE

Nicoletta Stofkoper [wiki]

Head of a Saka warrior, from Khalchayan, Uzbekistan

©Central Asia Travel

Khalchayan, Uzbekistan

Photo after Ė. V. Rtveladze

Head of a Kushan prince

Khalchayan, Uzbekistan

Photo after Ė. V. Rtveladze
https://www.persee.fr/doc/arasi_0004-3958_2015_num_70_1_1881
Photo after Ė. V. Rtveladze

Photo M. Vlasenko (Novosibirsk) after #
Photo M. Vlasenko (Novosibirsk)
after #

The Noin-Ula Xiongnu burial kurgan (tumulus) in North Mongolia, 1st century BCE – 1st century CE. Fragment of an embroidered woolen textile with a scene of a ritual: “To the left of the altar is the king (priest), who is holding a mushroom over the fire. Opposite him is a warrior in a jacket with a “tail” and a belted quiver

The textile from the Xiongnu burial ground was made in Bactria most likely, and may represent the Yuezhi men.

[#]


https://art-blog.uz/archives/33431

Dalverzin Tepe, Uzbekistan. Painted gypsum on clay, head of a woman
1st century BCE – 1st century CE


Photo by Bruce Allardice [wiki]
https://art-blog.uz/archives/33431

Dalverzin Tepe, Uzbekistan. Painted gypsum on clay.
Head of a prince, 1st-2nd century


  1. Nomad Migration in Central Asia, Kazim Abdullaev https://www.researchgate.net
  2. Polosmak, Natalia Viktorovna, # : 30 Aug 2010 , “We drank Soma, we became immortal…” , volume 26, N2
  3. Polosmak, Natalia Viktorovna [Полосьмак Наталья Викторовна] Nouvelles découvertes de tentures polychromes brodées du début de notre ère dans les tumuli n° 20 et n° 31 de Noin-Ula (République de Mongolie) [article]
  4. КУШАНСКОЕ ЦАРСТВО: ДИНАСТИИ, ГОСУДАРСТВО, НАРОД, ЯЗЫК, ПИСЬМЕННОСТЬ, РЕЛИГИИ
    Э. В. РТВЕЛАДЗЕ [Ėdvard Vasilʹevich Rtveladze], Ташкент, 2019  https://legacy.uz