The archaeological site of Vardanzeh (ancient Vardāna) is located on the northern border of the B... more The archaeological site of Vardanzeh (ancient Vardāna) is located on the northern border of the Bukhara oasis (Uzbekistan), which formed the westernmost territory of ancient Sogdiana. During the Early Medieval period (5th–8th centuries CE), this settlement controlled the surrounding territory constituting a political entity known as the “villages of Obavija”. Descriptions of Vardāna are present in several Islamic sources, suggesting its antiquity, but also its strategic and political role, particularly relevant at the time of the Arab advance in the region. This paper presents the results of the archaeological investigations carried out at the citadel of Vardāna between 2009 and 2016. In particular, it focuses on the Early Medieval building phase and on the rich corpus of pottery and finds that reflect cultural influences and ties with the Sassanid Empire, the Middle Syr Darya region and the Turks.
This paper presents a publication of a hoard of metal objects (two lamps and a cauldron) found in... more This paper presents a publication of a hoard of metal objects (two lamps and a cauldron) found in the surroundings of the town of Pay-Aryk of the Samarkand region in Uzbekistan. These objects apparently belonged to a small rural temple and were hidden during the Arabian conquest. The shapes of the bimetal lamp and bronze cauldron are specific for the Sogdian toreutics while the decorative design of the lamp reveals an Indian influence.
The archaeological site of Vardanzeh (ancient Vardāna) is located on the northern border of the B... more The archaeological site of Vardanzeh (ancient Vardāna) is located on the northern border of the Bukhara oasis (Uzbekistan), which formed the westernmost territory of ancient Sogdiana. During the Early Medieval period (5th–8th centuries CE), this settlement controlled the surrounding territory constituting a political entity known as the “villages of Obavija”. Descriptions of Vardāna are present in several Islamic sources, suggesting its antiquity, but also its strategic and political role, particularly relevant at the time of the Arab advance in the region. This paper presents the results of the archaeological investigations carried out at the citadel of Vardāna between 2009 and 2016. In particular, it focuses on the Early Medieval building phase and on the rich corpus of pottery and finds that reflect cultural influences and ties with the Sassanid Empire, the Middle Syr Darya region and the Turks.
This paper presents a publication of a hoard of metal objects (two lamps and a cauldron) found in... more This paper presents a publication of a hoard of metal objects (two lamps and a cauldron) found in the surroundings of the town of Pay-Aryk of the Samarkand region in Uzbekistan. These objects apparently belonged to a small rural temple and were hidden during the Arabian conquest. The shapes of the bimetal lamp and bronze cauldron are specific for the Sogdian toreutics while the decorative design of the lamp reveals an Indian influence.
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