Royal seal dating to Kushan era discovered in southern Tajikistan
Archaeologists from the National Museum of Tajikistan have discovered a royal seal dating to the Kushan era during excavations at the Sayod historical site in Khatlon province’s Abdurahmon Jami district, state-run news agency Khovar reported, citing the museum.
The seal, made of fired clay, has survived in relatively good condition despite its age. Researchers say the artifact could provide new insights into the political and cultural history of the region during the Kushan period and potentially prompt a reassessment of some existing theories.
According to the National Museum, the seal is brownish in color and consists of two main parts. It is about five centimeters high, with an upper section forming a handle pierced by a small hole, likely used to pass a cord through so the seal could be carried or handled more easily.
The main body is circular and larger than the handle. Within a circle measuring about six centimeters in diameter is a complex composition of images, inscriptions and symbols.
The images are engraved in reverse, a feature typical of seals designed to produce a correctly oriented impression when pressed into a surface.
Researchers are particularly interested in the combination of elements preserved on the artifact. These include an inscription in the Bactrian language, geometric ornaments, a bust of a ruler wearing a crenellated crown, images of mountain goats and symbols associated with the authority of Kushan rulers.
The seal also contains several other signs that researchers believe may be linked to local political authority and contemporary ideas about statehood and status.
The combination of written, artistic and symbolic elements makes the discovery particularly valuable, according to the museum. A single artifact may offer information on several aspects of life during the Kushan period, including writing, visual culture, political symbolism and representations of royal power.
The seal, made of fired clay, has survived in relatively good condition despite its age. Researchers say the artifact could provide new insights into the political and cultural history of the region during the Kushan period and potentially prompt a reassessment of some existing theories.
According to the National Museum, the seal is brownish in color and consists of two main parts. It is about five centimeters high, with an upper section forming a handle pierced by a small hole, likely used to pass a cord through so the seal could be carried or handled more easily.
The main body is circular and larger than the handle. Within a circle measuring about six centimeters in diameter is a complex composition of images, inscriptions and symbols.
The images are engraved in reverse, a feature typical of seals designed to produce a correctly oriented impression when pressed into a surface.
Researchers are particularly interested in the combination of elements preserved on the artifact. These include an inscription in the Bactrian language, geometric ornaments, a bust of a ruler wearing a crenellated crown, images of mountain goats and symbols associated with the authority of Kushan rulers.
The seal also contains several other signs that researchers believe may be linked to local political authority and contemporary ideas about statehood and status.
The combination of written, artistic and symbolic elements makes the discovery particularly valuable, according to the museum. A single artifact may offer information on several aspects of life during the Kushan period, including writing, visual culture, political symbolism and representations of royal power.
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