RomanArmyTalk

Full Version: Yuezhi from Khaltchayan, north Bactria, 50BC-50AD
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Quote:At Khaltchayan, in central Asia, a building datable to c. 50 BC-AD 50 - perhaps a reception hall - was built. It contained a six-column portico, a central hall entered (like a 'broad-room' shrine) through its long side, and a ('centralised'?) square inner chamber with two central columns, enclosed by corridors, but with roof edge ornaments (antefixes) and terracotta roof tiles of Greek type

Drawings of Yuezhi (Yue-Chi, later Kushan) costume & soldiers from the frieze of Khaltchayan (Khaltchayana or Khatchayan) Reception Hall, 50 BC-50 AD, north Bactria (southern Uzbekistan)

Quote:Traces of wall-painting including a head in the vestibule of the Khaltchayan 'reception hall' (c. 50 BC-AD 50) show a continuation of the style seen at Dilberdjin. The main reception chamber in the Khaltchayan hall was decorated with splendid wall reliefs in clay and stucco on a wooden frame ...
In the centre of the main wall sat a royal couple flanked by attendants; on the north side were further nobles, and a goddess on a chariot, while on the south were central Asian archers...{& a cataphract}
Most characteristic of this blended style is the great bronze statue of a Parthian grandee from the Shami sanctuary, variously dated c. 50 BC-AD 150; although Iranian in subject, the figure exhibits a Greek naturalism (Plate XIV). Thus in this period the hybrid has become completely predominant; and within the possibilities offered by this development, one has emerged pre-eminent: that in which different styles are completely blended.

MIRROR SITE
Drawings of Yuezhi (Yue-Chi, later Kushan) costume & soldiers from the frieze of Khaltchayan (Khaltchayana or Khatchayan) Reception Hall, 50 BC-50 AD, north Bactria (southern Uzbekistan)

Druzhina
Ancient Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers
Thirty-odd years ago, when I was researching Roman heavy cavalry and its origins, I borrowed the publication dealing with the sculptures from Khalchayan (G. A. Pugachenkova, Skul'ptura Khalchayana, Moscow, 1971) from the British Library. It was in Russian and I could not read the text but from the illustrations and from those in Valerii P. Nikonorov, The Armies of Bactria, 700 BC - 450 AD, Stockport: Montvert Publications, 1997, figs. 28-31, I have the impression that the frieze survived only in fragments and that a considerable amount of imagination had gone into the creation of the reconstruction drawings.
Thanks Renatus, I would like to see a photo to judge how much imagination has been used.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers
I don't have photoshop on my tablet so not sure how big this screen grab is from the book "Armies of Bactria" but here is a drawing of the fragments for the heavy horseman from the book. Most of the other fragments are assorted horse gear and saddles. I have just read an old paper CRENELATED MANE AND SCABBARD SLIDE by Otto Maenchen-Helfen where he thinks that the Yueh-chi or Tokharians may have invented the scabbard-slide and passed it on to their various neighbours. So the images although reconstructions are interesting.
Regards
Michael Kerr
[attachment=11027]fragments.jpg[/attachment]
Quote:I would like to see a photo judge how much imagination has been used.
As far as I recall, there was not much in the way of photographs of the fragments in the Russian volume. I took photos of the illustrations that interested me and will see if I can find them. In the meantime, Vol. 2 of The Armies of Bactria, which contains the illustrations, can be found here:

https://www.scribd.com/doc/24274587/The-...D-volume-2
Thanks Michael & Renatus.
The painted frieze and other statues from Khaltchayan are in museums in Tashkent according to Iranica online, but it doesn't say which ones.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers
Very interesting. It confirms my view that this is a giant three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle without a picture on the box to help. I was particularly interested in the examples in which fragments were set into outlines of the sculptures of which they were thought to form part. I don't suppose you have been able to find a similar reconstruction of the cataphract.
Thanks Emilio,

The displayed photo looks like it is the man holder the suit of armour in B of the frieze. A lot of imagination was used in the reconstructions.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers
Thanks Renatus, Druzhina, all

More pictures about "Khalchayan Palace" :

yesterday:
http://dic.academic.ru/pictures/enc_pictures/141.jpg

...and today:
http://www.lookuz.com/ru/place/gorodishche-halchayan

arrivederci,
Emilio