SAEDNEWS: In 1978, a year before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Russian archaeologist Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi began excavations at the Tillya Tepe site in northern Afghanistan. At that time, archaeologists had only recently recognized the site as historically significant.
According to the History and Culture section of Saed News, Taltapeh is located in a region once known as Bactria—an ancient land that today spans parts of Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Experts believe this treasure was buried around 2,000 years ago by Scythian or Chinese nomads. The site was once home to the Sarianidi, specialists of the rich Bronze Age civilizations of Bactria, a territory conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BCE.
Later, as Rome rose in the west, Bactria was influenced by people from India, China, and Iran, each adding cultural elements to the Hellenistic traditions Alexander had established in the region.
Archaeologists at the site uncovered six tombs dating from the 1st century BCE to the 1st century CE. The tombs contained over 20,000 objects, including rings, coins, weapons, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and crowns, all crafted from gold. Many items were also decorated with precious stones such as turquoise, carnelian, and lapis lazuli.
Researchers believe the tombs belonged to six wealthy Asian nomads—five women and one man. The 2,000-year-old artifacts reveal a rare blend of aesthetic influences, from Iranian traditions to Classical Greek art.
Discovery of Afghan Girls’ Tombs
This extraordinary find provides a window into the cultural richness and interconnected world of ancient Bactria, highlighting a fusion of nomadic wealth and Hellenistic artistry.
