In 1978, in the North of Afghanistan archaeological expedition discovered intact ancient burial, which scientists have estimated in 2000 years. On a flat plain, nearby cotton fields, archaeologists dug in flat round hill height of three and a radius of about one hundred meters. Afghan peasants called the hill of Tilla-Tepe gold hill. First, the expedition came across the ruins of the temple of fire-worshippers, which existed for about three thousand years ago. Then in the rat hole in the thick Adobe walls archaeologists found a handful of small gold coins.

Further searches were soon given promising results: in Kurgan found six graves. In one of the graves contained the skeleton of a woman. At first glance it was clear that buried is not a simple woman, and the wife of some of the ruler: the skeleton, slightly covered by decayed patterned silk, were literally covered in gold jewelry. Pushed into the mouth coin reminded of the ancient Greek funeral rite: the Greeks left coins dead, so they can pay Charon, the ferryman through the Fly - underground river of oblivion.

Archaeologists couldn't have believed: in the end of XX century is not looted ancient tombs is as rare as rain in the desert. Scientists have suggested: grave just because remained intact, that the Queen was buried secretly and made elsewhere imaginary disposal.

Elegant clothes noble a dead woman was decorated with a gold brooch in the form of a winged goddess Aphrodite, and the scepter that is put next to the body, indicated an extremely high position buried in Tilla-Tepe women. But why are the remains of the Queen put in a simple wooden coffin and hid in the boondocks? Obviously, in order ruins of abandoned villages served as a reliable hiding the final resting places of the Queen, and has saved the grave on the brazen marauders.

Fabulous treasures of Tilla-Tepe consisted of 20 thousand separate items. Among the found items were heavy gold belts, bowls with embossed patterns, daggers in ornate sheath. To date the findings were quite simple - it is found in the excavations of Roman coins, minted when the son of Augustus, Tiberius, which came on the Roman throne in 14 ad

Bactrian coin with the image of Athens

It was much more difficult to determine the origin of the majority of jewelry. They differed amazing variety and had the characteristic features of the different cultures: Indian, Persian, Greek and Roman, as well as cultures of nomadic steppe peoples. Very strange looked at four thousand kilometers from Athens typical Greek pattern in the vase - playing dolphins!

However, historians have soon found the answer to the question, how did you come Greek dolphins in the distant steppe: together with the troops of Alexander the great. Alexander childhood dreamed of a military campaign on the Persian Kingdom. The conquest of Persia were being prepared Alexander's father, Philip II, but in 336 BC, in the midst of preparing for war, he was killed.

Young Alexander's first "restored order" on the Northern border of Macedonia and Greece. In 334, he went to Asia Minor, headed tiszacsege troops. After the triumphant conquest of Egypt by Alexander moved to the Persian Kingdom.

Alexander defeated the Persian king Darius and captured fabulously rich extraction. Another objective of the campaign was the Bactria - "the country of thousand cities". Two years fought the Greeks in Bactria. The legend says that one of the most powerful princes Bactria the conqueror was spared only because of the intercession of the daughter of the Prince - Roxanne. Alexander a glance fell in love with the beautiful Princess. Instead of cut of Prince head, he in his heavy sword cut off two pieces of the loaf of bread - and imprisoned the Princess Roxanne. This was the Macedonian ritual of marriage. In the main hall of one of the fortresses in Bactria Alexander took wedding gifts from the conquered princes and feasted with his generals...

Clairvoyant prophet predicted to Alexander the Great conquered Persia: "O Lord! You will die young, and your Empire will collapse, like the Palace.

In five years, Alexander has died. After the death of the conqueror Roxanne and her son was killed.

Huge Empire of Alexander the great indeed broken, but in different parts of its vast area, there is a significant influence of Greek culture. This is particularly noticeable in Bactria, where Greek rule lasted 200 years after the death of Alexander. Over time, the Greek goddess Aphrodite was perceived as a winged Bactrian goddess. It is its image archeologists found in the tomb of Queen in Tilla-Tepe. On the ring-the Royal signet of his dead wife engraved goddess Athena, and is represented on the other gold jewelry gay idol riding fabulous beast similar to the Greek God of wine and fertility of Dionysus.

200 years after the collapse of the Empire of Alexander the Great in "the country of thousand cities" Bactria was invaded by nomadic tribes from the North of China. Peaceful Bactria captured wild Horde Kushans.

New rulers conquered Bactria fell under the charm of the Greco-Persian culture, embraced it, while retaining their own steppe tradition, and created an original mixed culture of Kushan Kingdom.

Former nomads settled in the conquered Bactria, have learned to build cities. Kushan city-fortress-day Toprak-Kale was an important trading centre on one of the silk routes leading from China and India through Persia in Rome.

Archaeologists planned long-term studies of Kushan graves, but in December 1979 the Soviet Union entered Afghanistan troops. The fight was approaching the place of excavations, archaeologists, including findings in boxes, moved them to Kabul. Later the scientists tried to save the treasures of Tilla-Tepe. They appealed to the United Nations, offered to temporarily transfer of precious finds in the Soviet Union or in a neutral country... In 1989, the Soviet Union withdrew its troops from Afghanistan, but the civil war continued. Three years later, during the shelling and assault on Kabul's national Museum was severely damaged, and boxes of ornaments of gold moved into the presidential Palace, which then also stormed. Gold from the grave Kushan the Queen of the lost military mess...

Prudent archeologists made a copy of the most valuable finds. Only thanks to them you can make some assumptions about the fabulous treasure found by archaeologists on the territory of ancient Bactria.