Ancient site · Tomb
Tillya Tepe
Also known as Bactrian Gold
A mound near Sheberghan in northern Afghanistan where Viktor Sarianidi's Soviet–Afghan team found six graves in 1978, of five women and one man, with about 20,600 objects of gold, silver, turquoise and ivory. The 'Bactrian Gold' mixes Greek, Iranian, Indian and steppe styles, such as a folding gold crown of trees and birds.
The dead were probably nomad nobles of the time the Kushans rose. The hoard went missing during the Afghan wars and resurfaced safely in 2003.
- Dates
- graves c. 1st century BCE–1st century CE
- Still standing
- No, or only traces
- Location
- 36.69° N, 65.79° E
How we know
Known from the 1978 excavation; coins buried in the graves, including a Roman coin of Tiberius, date them.
Nearby sites
- Ai-Khanoum c. 290–145 BCE
- Merv city c. 550 BCE–18th century CE
- Shortugai c. 2000–1700 BCE
- Sarazm c. 3500–2000 BCE (radiocarbon range 3900–2100 BCE)
- Gonur Depe c. 2400–1600 BCE
- Altyn-Depe c. 3200–2000 BCE; urban c. 2400–2000 BCE