HERITAGE OF ART CULTURE

Archaeological research in Termez has given us numerous materials related to the history of its cul­ture, in various forms of material and art culture. The excavations made visible embodiments of artis­tic culture in architecture in the form of ground-lev­el monuments, remnants of buildings, as well as ap­plied art.

Early specimens of fine art-sculpture, paintings and household articles-were revealed during excava­tions of two Buddhist monasteries, the cave at Karatepa (1) and the ground-level monument at Fayaztepa. Articles of applied art usually made of ceramics were found at the location of the ancient town of Old Termez.

Specimens of sculpture and painting studied at the above mentioned monasteries are connected with Buddhism, the religion brought to Tokharistan dur­ing the Kushan dynasty from subjugated India. These objects were connected with universal themes and images taken shape in India but in some artistic artefacts, one can find some local impact.

Painting was found on the walls of rooms for prayer in the both Termez monasteries. The founda­tion for the walls in Karatepa was a clay plaster with gypsum coating, covering the rocky basis. In Fayaztepa this plaster was applied to raw packed clay. The wall has suffered significantly over time; the paintings have lost a great deal, yet the rem­nants make it possible to understand the general content of the compositions and the theme of the pictures.

The paintings were composed of lines and wide brush-strokes. There were black, red, yellow and dark-blue colours on a white background. In the Karatepa some part of the walls were covered by or­namental motifs in the form of small squares, six-point stars, and four-pedalled rosettes. Fragments of paintings with clearly expressed Buddhist themes

were also found there. (2)

Among recently found paintings are scenes of worship of the Buddha, who is standing or sitting crossed-legged in a pensive pose. On both sides there are monks depicted against the background of trees, or women with arms folded.

The motifs on the walls of Fayaztepa are also traditional. On one wall of the sanctuary was an ex­tended composition, of which only the lower part has been preserved. There are two episodes featuring the Buddha standing in the centre in a long garment called a sankhati. On both sides there are women worshipers with prayerfully folded hands in long draped clothes and cloaks of ornamented fabrics. All the figures are standing on an ornamented carpet.

On the opposite side of the sanctuary are multi-figured compositions with the main hero in the cen­tre and four persons on the each side, all of them dressed in typical narrow costumes, tight kaftans (long tunic with waist-girdle), wide trousers and high boots. The costumes are like those depicted on the coins of the ruler Kanishka. Undoubtedly, this scene depicts representatives of the Kushan nobility worshipping as Buddhists. (3)

Excavations in the Surkhandarya region (Khalchan, Dalverzintepa, Ayrtam) demonstrate the development of sculpture in Northern Bactria. In Termez we find this tradition represented only by fragments. The motifs reflect, on the one hand, the Hellenistic art of the Greek-Bactrian era, but, more generally, they reflect the Buddhist themes of the Kushan epoch. The material for this kind of sculp­ture is white marble-like mergelist limestone, in which the Amudarya region is rich. For example, there was found a plate of the Greek style with a leaf-bearing sprout —the capital of a pilaster, in the centre of which, between volutes and over two rows of acanthus, there is a figure under an arch. In fact,

this plate is a fragment of a famous frieze from the first century A.D. Buddhist temple in Ayrtam, 30 km. from Termez on a steep bank of the Arnudarya. On the frieze, within two rows acanthus, there are figures of goddesses with musical instruments or gifts in their hands. (4))

Among the findings from Old Termez there is a typical white stone plate. On it are two similar sculptures one above the other-Buddha figures in the traditional meditation pose with hands on knees, against the background of a thick leaf-bearing tree. He is in a mantle behind a nimbus. On both sides are figures of worshipers (their heads, as well as that of the Buddha, were broken — probably by Moslims). The general plastics of pictures speak about the experience of the master who made this plate. The theme is Buddha's enlightenment when he was sitting in meditation beneath a fig tree in the forest near Benares and the reception of his doctrine by his disciples. (5))

Another kind of sculpture widely spread in the region is the terracotta statuettes, found both in Termez and other ancient sites in Surkhandarya. Potters made these from a model created by special­ists. This type statuette was widespread in connec­tion with both Buddhism and ancient folk religions. There were also small figures of animals-keepers-, which were affixed to clay pots and baked in the kiln. Sculptures stamped on terracotta plates repre­sent a special group. Some of them were images from Buddhism; for example, sculptures of Buddha sitting in the pose of meditation with hands folded in the gesture of "mudra". There were little figures of young male Buddhist worshippers, standing in frontal pose, young, half-naked, but with necklace and bracelets.

Besides the Buddhist themes, terracottas of other types are met. For example, figures of men in typi­cal Kushan dress, probably the image of the ortho­dox Buddhist Kushan ruler.

In the plastics of Termez, there is a typical im­age of a woman, sometimes in the form of a stat­uette, but more often stamped on a plate. This has nothing to do with Buddhist art; it is clearly an im­age connected with another religion. It is thought to be Anahita, a goddess who was especially respected among women of the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism. The goddess is in a tunic with drop­ping vertical folds, a variation of the Greek tunic, and a cloak on her shoulders. Most of them are without heads, probably because of the protest of the Moslim era. Some heads have been found, with broken faces, but preserved coiffure with rows of locks. (6)

The motifs of art sharply changed during the Middle Ages, with Islam playing a central role.

Islam came to Tokharistan after the Arabs occupied it and gave the people access to the Moslim religion. As a rule Islam had a strict ban against the depic­tion of live creatures, especially human beings. The incorporation of the conquered Central Asian region into the Arab Khalifat, and introduction of Islam as the sole religion, played a decisive role in the char­acter of local art.

Positive aspects of political and ideological unifi­cation with the Arab world included the development of mathematics, especially of geometry, as well as adoption of the common Arab written language. Geometrical theory found practical application, espe­cially in the field of architecture. Sculpture and artis­tic themes and images incorporated ornament of sim­ple and complicated geometrical structures. Geometrical ornament added stylized plant motifs, and sometimes stylised magic images. The basis is the construction of a pattern on a geometrical grid, some­times simple, sometimes complicated, called girih.

Two such examples in Termez are monuments of XI - XII centuries, the mausoleum Hakim at-Termizi and the court of the Termez rulers. Girihs are formed by stylised plant motifs, sprouts and leaves, which are also subjected to curvilinear geometrical traces. Epigraphic designs, connected with the histo­ry of the construction (names, dates) and quotations from the Qur'an play a major role and all is subor­dinated to the common underlying geometrical pat­tern.

Heraldic images of two lions, approaching each other or joined with the one common head, as well as winged creatures (found in the fragments) are no­table artefacts in the palaces of the Termez rulers.

Epigraphic motifs were very important. The Arabic written language entered the culture of Central Asia at immediately after its conquest by the Arabs, first for use in documents, then in book trade and soon in the architectural decor. In the mausoleum of Hakim ad-Termizi and in the palace of the Termez rulers one can see wonderful strips and borders with epigraphs, where two types of scripts exist — geometrical kufi and flexible writing-naskhi. They contain instructive sayings or, some­times, historical information connected with Termez and its personages. The Mongolian invasion did ir­revocable damage to Termez in many ways, includ­ing the development of art. There was an artistic re­vival during the Temurid period, vividly represented in the monumental architecture of XV-XVII cen­turies in the decorations of which there were no in­novations. A new style was reflected in the monu­mental gravestone in the mausoleum of Hakim ad-Termizi, which was placed in the XV century. It is made of pink marble and covered with fine cutting with geometrical figures and calligraphic writing.