STUDIA HERCYNIA XX/1, 111–126
Ancien Ado nmen s o Cen al Asia In luenced by he
g eek Jewelle y o he Classical and Hellenis ic Pe iod
Pe a Belaňo á
ABS AC
Cen al Asia abso bed he s imuli o shi ing cul u al in luences and o many cen u ies c ea ed an o iginal
a is ic exp ession, which can be obse ed in all b anches o a s and c a s. One o hese b anches is jewelle y
p oduc ion. Many pieces o jewelle y we e la gely inspi ed by he cul u e o he ancien Medi e anean. The
a en ion o he a icle is ocused on he Cen al Asia jewelle y inds, he p oduc ion o jewelle y and examples
o he in luence o ancien G eek jewelle y o he Classical and Hellenis ic pe iod on he jewelle y p oduc ion
in Cen al Asia om he poin s o iew o echnology (p oduc ion and deco a ion p ocesses), ypology ( ypes
o jewelle y) and iconog aphy ( equen ly occu ing hemes as inspi a ions om he ancien my hology).
KEyWO DS
Cen al Asia; G eek; jewelle y; a s and c a s; Bac ia; Gandha a.
IN ODuC ION
The e i o y o Cen al Asia was, due o i s loca ion on he c oss oads o ancien ade ou es
and o i s his o ical de elopmen , in luenced by many cul u es ha uled o ansi ed h ough
i . The s o my poli ical de elopmen s in he cen u ies a ound he u n o he e as b ough
cul u al in luences he e bo h om nea and emo e a eas– Pa hian, Indian, Eas Asian
(Chinese and ha o Eas Asian nomadic ibes), Eu asian nomadic– which amalgama ed
wi h he a o ea lie pe iods, ha is Pe sian and local o Cen al Asian. These e ec s a e also
e lec ed in he p oduc ion o jewelle y. As one o he signi ican impac s in he p oduc ion
o jewelle y and o namen s du ing he se e al cen u ies be o e and a e he u n o he e as
we can obse e also he a is ic adi ions o he ancien Medi e anean. We can ind i in he
o ms o jewelle y, iconog aphy and he use o deco a i e mo i s o echniques. O e ime, sig‑
ni ican ans o ma ions occu ed he e in some o he employed iconog aphic mo i s, which
we e ailo ed o he local adi ions, ideas and as es. The ollowing o e iew in oduces he
ancien jewelle y o Cen al Asia and p esen s se e al examples o gold jewelle y, building
on he jewelle s’ a is ic adi ions o he ancien Medi e anean.
Acco ding o many iconog aphic sou ces, he jewelle y in Cen al Asia was wo n by bo h
men and women. In gene al, we can say ha male jewelle y was mo e inspi ed by he end
o Asia ( he p e ious Achaemenid, cu en ly Pa hian, Eu asian nomadic en i onmen s;
Musche 1988). I seems ha especially men om he uppe classes wo e pe sonal o namen s
mo e o en in Cen al Asia han in he Medi e anean, whe e jewelle y was he domain o
women. This male jewelle y o en had asymbolic unc ion, highligh ing he s a us o i s owne
( o que, bel , bel and shoe buckles). Female jewelle y on he o he hand shows as onge
in luence o he Medi e anean, Pa hian and nomadic en i onmen s in bo h iconog aphy
and he ypes o jewelle y.
112 STUDIA HERCYNIA XX/1
ANCIEN JEWEllE y O CEN Al ASIA– INDS, CH ONOlOgy, SOu CES
Mos Cen al Asian jewelle y inds come om he his o ical egions o Bac ia and Gandha a
loca ed in he e i o y o oday’ssou he n pa o he o me So ie Republics o Uzbekis an
and Tajikis an, no he n and eas e n A ghanis an and no he n Pakis an. These a eas we e
he hub o mili a y ac i i ies and poli ical o ma ions, e e ing in many espec s o he Med‑
i e anean adi ions, and so hey con ibu ed o he dissemina ion and p ese a ion o some
elemen s o ancien G eek cul u al he i age in a chi ec u e, sculp u e, bu also in small a
c a s. The known pieces o jewelle y om he e i o y o Cen al Asia can be da ed om he
3
d
cen u y BC un il he ea ly 4
h
cen u y AD. The spec um o jewelle y hus co e s he pe iod
om he campaign o Alexande he G ea , h ough asho Seleucid ule and he pe iod o he
G eco ‑Bac ian Kingdom, he Indo ‑G eek Kingdom and he nume ous in asions o nomadic
ibes un il he cons i u ion and lo ui o he Kushan Empi e. Mos o he inds o jewelle y
om p ecious ma e ials come om he ela i ely u bulen pe iod o he 1s cen u y AD, when
he a ea o Cen al Asia was he scene o he g adual o ma ion o he Kushan Empi e.
Th ee si es om ancien Bac ia and Gandha a s and ou in e ms o he numbe and wo k‑
manship o local jewelle y inds: he jewel hoa d om he si e o Dal’ e zin epa in sou he n
Uzbekis an; he gold easu e om six g a es o Tillya Tepe in no he n A ghanis an; and
he huge amoun o jewelle y om Taxila in Pakis an. Each o hese comes om adi e en
cul u al con ex : Tillya Tepe, anec opolis o ap obably small ibe wi h close ies o Pa hia
bu also o eas Asia, emphasizing i s nomadic adi ions; Dal’ e zin epa, a own unde he
Kushan ule wi h agolden easu e hidden unde ahouse loo ; and Taxila wi h ich jewelle y
hoa ds in he houses o weal hy ci izens in he Saka/Pa hian laye s. Also wo h men ioning in
his con ex is he in e es ing simila i y o some iconog aphical, echnological and deco a i e
elemen s in he jewelle y o hose h ee si es.
DAL’VERZINTEPA
Dal’ e zin epa (e.g. Pugachenko a 1978; Pugachenko a– R eladze 1978), ase lemen
loca ed in he Su khanda ya egion abou 60 km no heas o Te mez, lou ished especially
in he 2nd o he i s hal o he 3 d cen u ies AD. Du ing he exca a ions in aweal hy dis ic
o he ci y, an in ac po e y essel was ound con aining 150 hidden gold objec s. The en i e
hoa d is da ed o he second hal o he 1s cen u y AD. The easu e con ained se e al ypes o
jewelle y, e.g. gold ea ings (Lune a 2005, 66–67, Fig. 5:1–3), a o que, anecklace and b acele s
(Pugachenko a– R eladze 1990, 119), some o hem inspi ed by G eek models.1 In addi ion
o he jewelle y, pieces o solid gold o a ious shapes we e ound in Dal’ e zin epa, p obably
eady as aw ma e ial o jewelle y making.
TILLYA TEPE
The nec opolis o Tillya Tepe (Sa ianidi 1985; Cambon– Ja ige 2006; Schil z 2011, 219–293)
is loca ed in no he n A ghanis an, nea he si e o Emshi Tepe. The six ombs ( i e o hem
emale, one male) con ained excep ionally ich une a y equipmen including mo e han
1 E.g. plain o e lap b acele s wi h wis ed wi e spi als (Lune a 2005, 74, Fig. 9:2,4), he shape eme ging
in Hellenism and popula also in he Roman jewelle y (Ogden 1990, 225–226); eng a ed gem, inse ed
in he cen al pa o he o que, ep esen s aschema ic male head in p o ile, in e p e ed as He acles
(Pugachenko a– R eladze 1978, 41), which was employed seconda ily in he piece.
113PETRA BELAŇOVÁ
20,000 objec s made o gold. Acco ding o acoin o Empe o Tibe ius (min ed in Lugdunum
in 14–37 AD: Hiebe – Cambon 2011, 261, no. 176), he bu ials can be da ed o he second hi d/
second hal o he 1s cen u y AD. The amoun o he golden jewelle y in almos all he ombs
is spec acula . Many pieces a e massi e and made o gold shee in low and high elie . An
in e es ing elemen in Tillya Tepe jewelle y deco a ion is he e y ich use o u quoise and
ga ne inlays and he la ge numbe o pendan s in he o m o asmoo h ci cula disk. O e all,
i is possible o dis inguish se e al sou ces o inspi a ion o p o enances in he Tillya Tepe
ma e ial– om China and p esen ‑day Mongolia o India, h ough he Eu asian s eppe and he
Black Sea a ea, Pa hian I an o he ela i ely s ong in luence o Medi e anean jewelle s’ a .
TAXILA
Gandha an Taxila (Ma shall 1951) is loca ed in no h ‑wes e n Pakis an. The i s se lemen
was si ua ed on he Bhi Mound, by he ime o he G eek con ol o he a ea he se lemen
mo ed ac oss he i e o he si e o Si kap. The e i las ed un il he end o he Saka ‑Pa hian
pe iod a e he mid‑1s cen u y AD. The si e has p oduced a o al o 213 pieces o jewelle y
om p ecious me als, mos o which is made o gold. 180 pieces come om he la e laye s
on Si kap and a e da ed o he 1s cen u y AD, ano he 27 pieces come om Bhi Mound and
a e da ed om he 5 h o he 2nd cen u ies BC (Ma shall 1951, II, 616). In compa ison wi h he
highly inc us ed jewelle y om Tillya Tepe, he jewelle y om Taxila uses colou ul s ones
( u quoise, whi e o hoclase) o alesse ex en . The jewelle y design is sub le , wi h mo e em‑
phasis on he de ail; he o namen a ion is wo ked ou in he spi i o he Indian en i onmen ,
bu wi h aclea ela ionship o he Hellenis ic jewelle y a in he o ms and iconog aphy.
COLLECTIONS AND THE OTHER FINDS
O he examples o ancien Cen al Asian jewelle y include pieces om he nomad bu ial
si es o sou he n Tajikis an2 (Tulkha , A uk au o Bishken bu ial places and o he s) o he
ecen inds om he si e o Mes Aynak (Fa iconi 2014, 23–36); jewelle y o an ea lie pe iod
is ep esen ed o example by he objec s om he so ‑called Oxus easu e (Dal on 1926).
O he pieces o jewelle y a e also kep o displayed in he collec ions o he wo ld’smajo
museums such as he B i ish Museum, he Me opoli an Museum in New Yo k, he Ashmolean
Museum in Ox o d and he Miho Museum in Japan. Many o hem we e ob ained h ough
pu chases om public auc ions, p i a e sales o as gi s and he e o e hey a e o en wi hou
p o enance and exac a chaeological con ex (Ogden 1992, 9–13). The s ylis ic analysis o he
unp o enanced gold pieces depends mainly on he compa ison wi h o he i ems wi h known
p o enance. I is e y likely ha alo o o he jewelle y om ancien Cen al Asia can be
ound in p i a e collec ions.3
The pic u e desc ibed so a can be complemen ed by pe sonal o namen s om less ex‑
pensi e ma e ials, which could be inspi ed by and su ely o en ollowed he ends o he gold
jewelle y. The examples o he iches deposi s o o namen s om con en ional ma e ials such
as b onze, bone and o he s a e he bu ial si es o he Bishken a ea (e.g. Mandel’sh am 1966)
o se lemen s such as Kampy epa (Lune a 2001) o Za epa (Za ’yalo 1993) in sou he n
Uzbekis an.
2 Many o hese inds a e documen ed by pho og aphs in Zejmaľ 1985.
3 Fo example, he pendan wi h adi ine igu e holding wo d agons, which is supposed o ha e come om
he easu e o Mi Zakah (Boa dman 2012, 102–111).
114 STUDIA HERCYNIA XX/1
THE ICONOgRAPHIC SOURCES
In addi ion o he ac ual inds o jewelle y, he iconog aphic sou ces p o ide impo an in o ‑
ma ion on he o m and manne in which he jewelle y was wo n: his is he case o example
o he mu al pain ings om Khalchayan (Pugachenko a 1966, 144–153), Top akkala (Tols o
1964, рис. 28, 30), Dal’ e zin epa (Pugachenko a– R eladze 1978), he mo e ecen Balalyk
Tepe (Al’baum 1960, рис.98, 100), o o he sculp u es om Ai am (Fakh e dino a 1988,
25; Lune a 2005, рис. 1–2), Dal’ e zin epa (Pugachenko a– R eladze 1978), and Taxila
(Ma shall 1951), o he Gandha a sculp u e ( om he iew o jewelle y see e.g. Fab égues
1991), as well as he jewelle y images on sculp u e om he Pa hian Empi e (Musche 1988)
and o he sou ces.
MA E IAlS AND ECHNIQuES
The mos widely used ma e ial o Cen al Asian jewelle y is gold. Pieces om sil e do no
occu ha o en. Cheape pe sonal o namen s we e, as in o he a eas, p oduced om less
aluable me als (b ass, i on, coppe , b onze), o glass, bone, and o he a ailable o ganic and
ino ganic ma e ials.
Higgins claims he a eas o A abia and Bac ia as asou ce o gold o he Hellenis ic wo ld
om Alexande ’sconques o he pe iod a ound he u n o e as. He also eminds us o he
o he gold ‑ ich egions o Sibe ia and Al ai, which had been in cons an con ac wi h Cen al
Asia due o he equen mig a ions o po en ial business ela ions (Higgins 1981, 9). I is
widely suppo ed e en by he cu en analyses o mine al esou ces, ha he egion o Cen al
Asia is iche in gold han in sil e (E ing on– C ibb 1992, 258–259).
Se e al ma e ial analyses o jewels om he e i o y ha e been ca ied ou so a . On he
occasion o he exhibi ion A ghanis an– les éso s e ou és in Musée Guime , Pa is, he XRF
analysis o ou chosen pieces om Tillya Tepe was ca ied ou . The analysed pieces included
ame al gem ing wi h an image o a emale igu e and he insc ip ion ΑΘΗΝΑ, pendan s wi h
he Mas e o D agons; a ing wi h an o al u quoise gem wi h aschema ic A hena and an
appliqué wi h he so ‑called Kushan Aph odi e, all he i ems came om he emale g a e II. The
esul s we e p esen ed by T. Calliga o in he exhibi ion ca alogue (Calliga o 2006, 292–293).
Th ee pieces showed ahigh gold con en (95–97%) wi h asmall admix u e o sil e and coppe
(Hickman 2012, 80). Acco ding o T. Calliga o and J. Hickman his composi ion indica es he
use o na u al gold (a leas in he analysed objec s), because me al in i s na u al o m is o en
ound jus wi h he admix u es o hese wo elemen s (Calliga o 2006, 293; Hickman 2012,
80). This ac could co espond wi h he ancien epu a ion o Bac ia as agold ‑bea ing egion.
O he ma e ials, which ichly complemen ed he p oduc ion o gold jewelle y, we e p e‑
cious s ones o a ious colou s ha we e inse ed in o boxes. Tu quoise was especially in
g ea ogue he e (Hickman 2012, 80). The sou ces o u quoise we e p obably si ua ed in he
p esen ‑day I an and on he lowe igh cou se o he Oxus Ri e (Calliga o 2006, 293, Fig.
3); o he deposi s we e known also in Egyp (Nubia and he Sinai). The u quoises used in he
deco a ion o he Tillya Tepe jewelle y a e supposedly o I anian o igin, mo e p ecisely om
he Nishapu egion (Calliga o 2006, 292), om whe e he s one was impo ed h ough he
Middle Eas (P ice– Walsh 2006, 133). Ano he p ecious s one, o en employed in he Cen al
Asian jewelle y, is he da k ed ga ne , as one also highly popula in he Hellenis ic jewelle y.
Ga ne s a e mainly used in he shape o o al cabochons. The examples om Tillya Tepe
con aining aces o i on a e mo e p ecisely almandines (Calliga o 2006, 29). The XRF
115PETRA BELAŇOVÁ
analysis o se e al Tillya Tepe jewelle y pieces also helped o de e mine he p ecise elemen
composi ion o he inse ed s ones. The place o o igin o he almandines was es ablished
p obably as India, Rajas han (Jaipu o Udaipu si e: Calliga o 2006, 292). The ga ne s om
India and S i Lanka we e o good quali y and also common in he Medi e anean jewelle y
p oduc ion (Ogden 1992, 38). The da k blue lapis lazuli was also used in Cen al Asian jewelle y,
o en wi h golden colou addi ions. Gi en ha i s bigges deposi s a e loca ed in he moun ains
o Badakhshan in A ghanis an, i s ela i ely a e use in he deco a ion o local jewelle y is
ema kable. One possible explana ion is ashion: i is possible ha he people o Cen al Asia
did no ega d lapis lazuli as anoble s one o he aluable gold jewelle y (Hickman 2012, 80).
Among o he ma e ials py i e, a ie ies o chalcedony, ame hys (bo h p obably also om he
Indian Deccan pla eau) and o he s occu ed in Tillya Tepe (Calliga o 2006, 292–293). The use
o jade and ambe is in e es ing. Pea ls and nac e also belonged o he well ‑liked ma e ials in
he deco a ion and p oduc ion o pe sonal o namen s. As men ioned abo e, whi e o hoclase
is widely used in he Taxila jewelle y.
Ano he ma e ial composi ion analysis examined he elemen al composi ion and echnical
speci ica ions o gold jewelle y da ing back o he Kushan pe iod o he Na ional Museum
o An iqui ies o Tajikis an (Gue ae al. 2009, 177–185). The PIXE/PIGE analysis included
i e pieces o jewelle y om he Bishken and Danga alleys, all coming om he 1s cen u y
BC–2nd cen u y AD ceme e ies: An ampho a ‑shaped and aci cula pendan om he Bish‑
ken bu ial place V; apendan wi h cloisonné deco a ion om he Bishken bu ial place VII;
an ea ing om he bu ial place Ksi o III; and an ea ing om he I i ok bu ial place. The
pendan om he Bishken bu ial place VII con ains an a e age o 82 ± 1.2% gold, 1.0 ± 14.7%
sil e and 3.1± 1.1% coppe . The o he ou objec s ha e lowe gold con en o 76.3 ± 2.1% gold,
2.3±21.8% sil e and 1.7 ± 0.8% coppe . The elemen al composi ion o hese jewels shows o he
alues han he analysed inds om Tillya Tepe. In he a icle he au ho s men ioned o he
a e analyses o a ew objec s o aCen al Asian o igin, such as he analysis o he Kanishka
coin and medallion made o an alloy o gold (wi h he gold con en di e ing om ha o he
analysed jewelle y; Gue ae al. 2009, 183; Sachse al. 2003) o he analysis o some objec s
om he Xiong ‑nu nec opolis (Gue ae al. 2009; Gue a– Calliga o 2003).
The p oduc ion o gold jewelle y was ce ainly ahighly specialized ac i i y. Today, he doc‑
umen a ion o he jewelle ’swo k and ad anced deco a i e echniques a e isible di ec ly on
he jewelle y pieces, some imes also on he inds o c a ools and pa s o he si es ha could
ha e se ed o jewelle y p oduc ion. Golden ingo s we e ound in Dal’ e zin epa and in Ai‑
‑Khanoum4 (Be na d 2011, 107). S one moulds o he p oduc ion o pe sonal o namen s come
om Dal’ e zin epa om he laye s o he 1
s
cen u y AD; hey we e p obably used o p oduce
e y simple objec s (Pugachenko a– R eladze 1978, 204–205). Ano he sla e mould wi h
ou ci cula g oo es comes om he 2nd cen u y BC om Ai ‑Khanoum (Guillaume– Rou‑
geulle 1987, 79, Pl. 26, Fig. 15). In Taxila, se e al moulds o jewelle y p oduc ion we e ound
oo (Ma shall 1951, III, 142). Two hoa ds o objec s om Si kap in Taxila we e e e ed o
by Ma shall as “ he jewelle s’ equipmen ” (Ma shall 1951, II, 505). Bo h g oups included
small objec s om s one (pieces o u quoise, lapis lazuli) o shells ha p obably se ed as
apa o jewelle y, as well as me al samples and me al cas moulds o p oduc ion o jewelle y
deco a i e elemen s om me al shee s. The me al pieces a e mos ly made o shee ( hey can
se e as es ing samples), bu also o cas me al (e.g. coppe ). O e all, hey con ain 102 and 66
4 Elemen al composi ion o agolden ingo om Ai ‑Khanoum was analysed by XRF me hod, i s composi ion
shows simila i ies wi h he a o emen ioned jewelle y om Tillya Tepe (mo e in o ma ion in Calliga o
2006, 293).

116 STUDIA HERCYNIA XX/1
pieces. As a as hei shapes a e conce ned, hey ind simila i y wi h almos e e y piece o
he golden jewelle y om Taxila (Ma shall 1951, I, 189). Two moulds om a o emen ioned
g oups om Taxila in he shape o a ish (Ma shall 1951, III, Pl. 180:109) ound hei pa allel
in he oblong ish mould o Beg am (Fig. 1; E ing on 1999, 229, Pl. 8.34), da ed o he same
pe iod o he 1s cen u y AD. They can p esen e idence o ansmission o liking o he same
mo i s among he di e en pa s o he e i o y o Cen al Asia.
Fig. 1: Fish ‑shaped pendan , Beg am (B i ish Museum, Museum Numbe 1880.3678.c. In o ma ion and
pho og aphy a ailable online: h p://www.b i ishmuseum.o g/ esea ch/collec ion_online/collec‑
ion_objec _de ails/collec ion_image_galle y.aspx?asse Id=709425001 & objec Id=179681 & pa ‑
Id=1 ( isi ed 10/10/2015).
The majo i y o he Cen al Asian jewelle y, as i was also in he Medi e anean, was es ablished
by o ming om gold shee s a he han cas ing. Gold wi e was also an impo an elemen ,
especially o ixing g ea amoun s o pendan s (mos o en o asimple ci cula shape) o
he body o he jewel. Chains o he loop ‑in ‑loop ype which a e e y likely a esul o he
Medi e anean in luences o en occu ed in he jewelle y o Cen al Asia om he i s cen‑
u ies AD (Chand a 1979, 33). These chains appea ed ei he as asingle piece o jewelle y (e.g.
Sa ianidi 1985, 227, no. 8; Ma shall 1951, III Pl. 192:68), o in he o m o sho chains wi h
pendan s which hung om ea ings ( o example Ma shall 1951, III Pl. 190). The deco a i e
echniques whose a ou inc eased in his a ea h ough he in luence o G eek jewelle y
a e ilig ee and g anula ion (Chand a 1979, 33). G anula ion especially occu s widely in he
jewelle y om Tillya Tepe and Taxila, in he o m o simple geome ic designs, co e ing he
chosen pa o he objec ’ssu ace o as a im a ound he inlays, which is ce ainly he mos
popula deco a ion echnique o he Cen al Asian jewelle y.
ExAMPlES O CEN Al ASIAN JEWEllE y INSPI ED By HE
MEDI E ANEAN ENVI ONMEN
O he en i e spec um o jewelle y ha comes om he si es in Cen al Asia, some a e appa ‑
en ly inspi ed by G eek o Roman jewelle y om a echnological, ypological o iconog aphical
poin o iew. The ollowing examples such as ea ings wi h animal heads o igu es, ea ings
wi h pendan s in he shape o ampho ae o sewn ‑on appliques wi h he goddess Aph odi e ep‑
esen di e en app oaches o he adi ion o he ancien G eek jewelle y– adop ion o ace ain
ype o jewelle y (ea ings in he o m o ape ing hoops wi h animal heads o igu es, ampho a
pendan s), use o my hological mo i s (appliques wi h Aph odi e, pai clasps wi h E o es iding
dolphins) o single deco a i e elemen s (e.g. hea shaped inlay, schema ic dolphins).
117PETRA BELAŇOVÁ
EARRINgS IN THE FORM OF TAPERINg HOOPS TERMINATINg WITH AHEAD,
PROTOME OR FIgURE
Ea ings in he o m o ape ing hoops e mina ing on one side wi h ahead (animal, less
commonly human), ap o ome, o a igu e, belong o he mos popula and widesp ead o ms
o Hellenis ic ea o namen s (Higgins 1981, 159–161). Se e al pieces o his kind come om
Cen al Asia, e.g. he pai wi h acoiled hoop in he o m o small E o es om Tillya Tepe
(Fig. 2; Schil z 2011, 281, no. 209). Olde examples o his ype da ed o he 3 d c. BC a e
ep esen ed in he Oxus easu e (Cunningham 1881, 156, T. 16,1; P omme 1990, 190) and
in he collec ion o he Miho Museum (Inagaki 2002, 131, T. 179 , w).5 Ano he ind e mi‑
na ing wi h ap o ome o asphinx was disco e ed in he Babashow bu ial V(Fig. 3; Zejmaľ
1985, 99, 252; Belaňo á 2015, 89), he igu e is deco a ed wi h ilig ee. Asimila elabo a e
example wi h asphinx p o ome o igina es om he Punjab o no he n India o he 2nd c. AD
(Hansen– Wieczo ek– Tellenbach 2009, Ka . N . 272); i s in ica e deco a ion is p o ided
by g anula ion, ilig ee and wis ed wi es.
P omme indica es he ype o ea ings wi h an E os body as a a ian o Hellenis ic ea ings
wi h animal o emale heads (P omme 1990, 187–193). Acco ding o V. Schil z he shape
and ype o ea ings mainly ollows he wo ks om Ta an o (Hiebe – Cambon 2011, 289).
They we e among he mos popula shapes ha , especially in he Eas , su i ed he all o
he Seleucid Empi e. The ype appea ed in he i s hal o he 3 d cen u y BC (Higgins 1981,
159). Specimens a e known om he a ea o Asia Mino , Sy ia and o he a eas o he Seleucid
Empi e, Macedonia, no he n Black Sea a ea, I aly and he Pa hian en i onmen (Musche
1988, Ta . X–XIII). The specimens om Cen al Asia p o e ha ea ing ype appea ed in his
dis an pa o he Hellenis ic wo ld and i s popula i y con inued appa en ly also in he i s
cen u ies o ou e a.
5 Inagaki 2002, 249: he publica ion men ions ano he simila ea ing wi h E os om Tu kmenis an,
Uzboy.
Fig. 2: Tillya Tepe ea ings wi h
E o es (Hiebe – Cambon 2011,
289, no. 219).
118 STUDIA HERCYNIA XX/1
AMPHORA EARRINgS
Ano he widesp ead ype o ea o namen o ea ing pendan in Cen al Asia is asmall
ampho a, o en wi h handles in he o m o dolphins o spi als, which can ep esen asche‑
ma ic con e sion o adolphin’sbody. This o m– again clea ly inspi ed by he o ms o he
Hellenis ic a – is known in Cen al Asia in se e al e sions o a ying quali y, no only in
gold combined wi h colou ul s ones bu also in less p ecious me als. Mos o he examples
om Cen al Asia show bo h he local pe sis ence and he popula i y o his o m o ea ings
a e he Hellenis ic e a.
This ype is ep esen ed e.g. by he ea ing wi h ampho a pendan and handles in he o m
o asmall E o es iding sea lions, which was ound in Si kap, Taxila (Fig. 4; con ex da ed o
a ound he middle o he 1s cen u y AD, Ma shall 1951, III Pl. 190, no. 2). The massi e pen‑
dan wi h aleng h o abou 9.5 cm ce ainly belongs among he mos beau i ul jewels om
Cen al Asia. The uppe pa o he ea ing pendan consis s o agold ec angula ame wi h
inse ed ose e. I consis s o ou hea ‑shaped pe als deco a ed on hei en i e su ace
wi h delica e g anula ion, mo e pe als g ow om he ose e’scen e, which c ea es abase
o aminia u e eclining igu e o E os. In he co ne s o he ame, ou smalle six ‑pe al
ose es a e a anged. A he bo om o he ame he ci cula hook holds an elabo a e am‑
pho a pendan , whose body is deco a ed wi h u quoise pas e inse s and g anula ion. The
pendan has as epped squa e base, accompanied in he bo om by gold beads o a ious sizes
in py amidal composi ions. The handles o he ampho a a e o med by cas gold pieces o high
quali y– asmall E o es iding he sea mons e s. I is possible o dis inguish he wings o small
gods, wis ed ails o my hical c ea u es and de ails o he body deco a ed wi h u quoise
inse s. Fou loops wi h chains a e as ened o he lowe pa o he c ea u es, each plai ed
chain e mina es in apendan consis ing o apea l and gold lea . On his splendid ea pendan
we can ind se e al elemen s o G eek jewelle y adi ion which we e popula in he hea o
Asia– g anula ion, single loop -in -loop chains, ose es, hea ‑shaped boxes, ampho as, E o es
lying on ose es o iding sea lions.
Ano he gold ea ing pendan o simila shape, bu less o na e, was ound in Taxila on he
Bhi mound. I is da ed ea lie o he 3 d–2nd cen u y BC (Ma shall 1951, III Pl. 190, no. 1). The
Fig. 3: An ea ing wi h ap o ome o
asphinx (Zejmaľ 1985, 99, 252).
119PETRA BELAŇOVÁ
pendan again consis s o wo pa s– he uppe hal is linked o he ampho a by a ing. The
uppe pa is asix ‑pe al ose e, pa ly deco a ed wi h g anula ion. The body o he ampho a
in he lowe pa is deco a ed wi h g anula ion in simple iangle shapes and a he bo om,
handles a e ep esen ed by schema ic dolphins.
Two inds o simila shape and de ails o deco a ion om di e en s a a can p o e he
popula i y o his o m o ea ing pendan s in Taxila o e alonge pe iod o ime.
Ano he se en examples o ampho a ‑shaped pendan s come om he Tulkha bu ial place
(Go buno a 2001, 130). They a e made o gold, inlaid o comple ed wi h whi e s ones and
da ed o he 2nd–1s cen u ies BC.O he examples a e known om he ceme e ies o Bishken
( h ee examples om he Bishken bu ial place V; wo examples om Bishken IV) and om
he A uk au bu ial place (apai o ea ings: Go buno a 2001, 130). These ampho a pendan s
om sou h Tajikis an show he endency o ace ain simpli ica ion o o m, which is especially
no iceable in he de ails o he dolphins. The pendan s a e made o gold, combined wi h o he
me als o colou ed s ones. The ea ings a e deco a ed wi h simple chains wi h small pendan s,
a ached o he ampho ae o dolphin ‑like handles, and py amidal g anula ion clus e s a ached
o he bo om o he ampho a also appea ed. In one case, he uppe ing o he ea ings is
deco a ed wi h as ylized He acles kno , supplemen ed wi h whi e glass pas e (Fig. 5; Bisken
bu ial place V, ku gan 46, Li inskij– Sedo 1984, Fig. 32). The ceme e ies o he Bishken
a ea can be possibly da ed o he 1s –2nd cen u ies AD (Li inskij– Sedo 1984, 129–132) while
Go buno a da es he Tulkha nec opolis and he Bishken bu ial place V o he 2nd cen u y AD,
and he Bishken bu ial place IV o he 1s –2nd cen u ies AD (Go buno a 2001, 143). One example
Fig. 4: Ea ing wi h ampho a pendan , Taxila, Na i‑
onal Museum o Pakis an, Ka achi. Pho og aphy
by Ch is ian Luczani s a ailable online: h p://
www.pbs.o g/newshou /a /asia ‑socie y‑
‑exhibi ‑explo es ‑pakis ans ‑buddhis ‑pas /
(accessed 20/12/2014).
126 STUDIA HERCYNIA XX/1
Yacenko 2006 = Яценко, C.A. 2006: Костюм древней Евразии (ираноязычные народы). Москва.
Za ’yalo 1993 = Завьялов, В.А. 1993: Костяные предметы туалета из памятников Средней Азнн кушанского
ипосткушанского времени. Краткие сообщения института истории материальной культуры 209.
Москва.
Zejmaľ 1985 = Зeймaль, Е.В. 1985: Древности Таджикистана. Kаталог выставки. Душанбе.
Pe a Belaňo á
Na ional Museum
Václa ské náměs í 68, CZ‑11579 P ague 1
pe a_belano [email protected]