Takhti Sangin, “Temple of Oks” (Kurgan-Tyube)

The British Museum has unique treasures called the Amu Darya Treasure (or the Ox Treasure). The treasure was found in 1877 on the right bank of the Amu Darya (in the Greek period it was called Oaks). The find consisted of more than 2000 gold and silver coins, gold items of 4 - 3 centuries BC. Locals who found the treasure sold it to merchants traveling with a caravan to India, from there the treasure came to England. In 1976, archaeologists began excavation of the ancient settlement in the Takhti Kubad tract (34 km from the village of Kabodian, at the confluence of the Vakhsh and Pyanj rivers). This stone settlement, called by archaeologists Takhti Sangin, turned out to be truly unique. An ancient temple, called the Temple of Oks, was excavated in the very center of the settlement. At one time, he was dedicated to the Deity of the river, whose cult has existed here since ancient times. In a huge temple built in 4 - 3 centuries BC and which continued to exist and in the first centuries of our era, amazing finds were found. Most likely, these were the gifts of the parishioners of the temple: the image of the bust of Alexander the Great in the form of Heracles, the scabbard with the image of a lion holding a doe in its paws, casket covers made of ivory and decorated with engraved drawings, the largest collection of arrowheads in Central Asia (more than 5 thousand), armaments and weapons of the soldiers of the Greco-Macedonian army. Fragments of bronze helmets were found right there, which were gilded from above, which created the illusion that they were made of pure gold. In architectural terms, the “Temple of Oks” is pretty well preserved to this day.

Over the course of 15 years of excavation on Takhta Sangin, more than 5 thousand objects of historical importance of Greco-Bactrian time were found. During this time, archaeologists and scientists finally came to the conclusion that there is a direct and direct connection between the Amu Darya treasure (the “Ox Treasure”) of the British Museum and the “Ox Temple” in Takhti Sangin, since the place of treasure finds and the place of the temple are one, and all the treasure items have a ritual significance.
Apparently, in connection with some danger, the gifts from the temple were taken out and hidden nearby, on the river bank. The ruins of the ancient settlement Takhta Sangin can be seen today in the picturesque valley of the Pyanj and Vakhsh rivers, and the finds of the Temple of Oksa can be found in the capital's museums.