NO. 13 SOVIET ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD IO7 



Barzu III belongs to the period following Alexander's conquest, and 

 includes objects showing Greek influence and Grcco-Bactrian coins, 

 replacing those with Achcmenid influence. 



Tali Barzu IV, attributed to the period from the first century B. C. 

 to the second century A. D., is associated with the invasions of the 

 nomads from western China and Yuechi in the northern part of Cen- 

 tral Asia. The few finds are of significance because of the lack of any 

 written sources regarding Soghdiana during this period. 



Totally different building techniques were used during recon- 

 struction of the large Achemenid buildings. Of special interest were 

 several Ruddhist images, an inscribed sherd reported to be the earliest 

 known sample of Soghdian writing, the efiigy of an equestrian deity, 

 and a hoard of 20 silver coins resembling those attributed to the 

 reign of Antiochus by Allottc de la Fouye, but with a Soghdian legend 

 on the obverse and probably struck in Soghdiana at the end of the 

 first century B. C. 



The settlement was destroyed during the period of the Ephthalite 

 domination, third-fifth centuries A. D., but came back to life during 

 the Turkish conquest in the sixth century (Tali Barzu V). A thick 

 city wall was constructed during this period, and a building of very 

 large slabs of clay was erected upon the central mound. The finds. 

 characterized by Sasanian types of ornamentation both in metal and 

 clay, are much better illustrated from two other sites. Kafi/.-Kala and 

 \''arakhsh. In the former many coins of Chinese type with square 

 perforation but with Soghdian inscriptions have also been found. The 

 latter, in Bukhara Oasis, contained the ruins of a palace decorated 

 with a magnificent alabaster frieze depicting human beings, plants, 

 animals, birds, and fishes. Subsequent excavations at \''arakhsh have 

 disclosed a fresco upon the wall of a palace or temple depicting a 

 procession of animals and a hunting scene -" with an Indian [ ?] 

 king hunting elephants and griffins. The type of painting, like that 

 of the sculpture at Varakhsh, is more closely reminiscent of Indian 

 than of Persian art. 



Tali Barzu VI (end of seventh — beginning of eighth century 

 A. D.) is contemporaneous with the famous Mount site, discovered 

 by Freimann. Glazed pottery appears for the first time during this 

 period of Arabian conquest, and several coins of the Soghdian King 

 Tarkhun (ante A. D. 710). 



Bemshtam ** summarizes the results of recent excavations by the 



"■'' Cf. frescoes in a vill.i near Ctesiplinn (Iraq) described by Ammianus 

 \rarcellinus. 



•* From a report by A. N. Bemshtam in Kratkic Soobshchcniia, No. 6. pp. 

 34-42- 



