I08 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 1 10 



IIMK jointly with the Scientific Committee of the Kirghiz Republic 

 and the Kazakhstan Branch of the Academy of Sciences in this area 

 to the west of Chinese Turkestan, This area of the ancient nomads, 

 home of the animal style, was not mentioned in the documents col- 

 lected by Sir Aurel Stein and translated by H, Qeichelt, yet it is 

 known that the main caravan route from the west to Chinese Turk- 

 estan crossed the Jetty-Su (Seven Rivers) area and that consequently 

 some important results might be expected here. 



The earliest influences from the west described from this area were 

 those from the Achemenid Empire (sixth-fourth centuries B. C). 

 Bronze altars and lamps in the Hermitage Museum found in 1937 

 near Issyk-Kul, but as yet unpublished, belong to this period. 



In the following period (fourth-second centuries B. C.) for a short 

 time there appear in the art of the nomads of the northern Tien Shan 

 foothills some elements of Greco-Bactrian art.-^ However, these did 

 not affect permanently the art of the nomads, in which the ancient 

 "animal style" soon came back into its own. The Greeks did not 

 penetrate this area, notwithstanding W. Tarn's claims to the contrary, 

 and Greek influence was felt only by the way of commercial relations. 

 During the beginning of the present era new influences from closer 

 at hand replace those of the more distant areas. 



A polished wheel-made ware, totally different from the pottery 

 of the nomads, appears (cf. Kenkol and Berkkarin burial grounds), 

 but it is still impossible to decide whether or not it came from Sogh- 

 diana or from the oases of eastern Turkestan. More significant, how- 

 ever, are the finds from the various gorodishches of this area. 



Soghdian inventories are found in the lowest strata of Taraz 

 (Dzhambul) and Krasnaia Rechka. The finds include, associated with 

 pottery and terra cottas, a barbarian imitation of an eastern Roman 

 solidus of the fourth-fifth centuries. While it is still impossible to date 

 the finds from these strata, they definitely belong to the period 

 between the third and fifth centuries. Together with the typical traits 

 of the Soghdian culture, still retaining a strong influence of Greco- 

 Bactrian tradition, these objects also reveal the influences of the style 

 of eastern Turkestan. 



In Soghdian tradition were a figurine of Anakhit (forming the 

 handle of a pot) from Taraz, and an oinochoe of Central Asian type. 

 A modeling mold for a masculine head had a Grecian profile and a 

 general resemblance to Gandharan art; the only known analogy to 

 it are the heads of rulers on Greco-Bactrian coins. 



25 Cf. Wusun burials described by M. Voevodskii and M. P. Griaznov, Vestnik 

 Drevnei Istorii, No. 2, p. 3, 1938. 



