Recent Field Research at Gonur Depe, Turkmenistan: Spring 2019

At spring 2019 the Margiana archaeological expedition continues its investigation as part of the Agreement between the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan. As part of this study, targeted excavation was undertaken on north-east of the Gonur North (Trench 18) and thesatellite settlement Gonur 20. Some very interesting and unique discoveries were made here. A unique large stone seal amulet with a double-sided carved image was found in the Trench 18. The artifact has the shape of a truncated ellipse and has a through hole+ along its long axis. A scorpion and the ‘imprint’of a human foot are depicted on one side. Nearthe head and claws of the arthropod appears a strange object, may be the heads of an argali and a cat predator. The first BMAC polychrome painting was found on Gonur 20. It was found in the grave 78, where the remains of a painted wooden item are recorded. Also an iron seal was found in this grave. It is the second iron object at Gonur Depe. The paintingfound inside the tomb at Gonur 20 is the first polychrome painting on BMAC territory. Comprehensive study of the artefact will allow us to reconstruct ancient technologies and provide new data on the objects and themes of BMAC art. The artefact is also important to the understanding of the interaction between Old World civilizations, and will provideopportunity for this research once its conservation is complete and the entire composition can be reconstructed

کلیدواژه ها:

Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex ، Oxus Civilization ، Bronze Age ، Central Asia.