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Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul
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Appliqués in the shape of lotuses, 1st century A.D.
Afghanistan, Tillya Tepe, tomb I
Gold, turquoise, and pyrite; 3/8 x 3/8 in. (9 x 9 mm) each
National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul, 04.40.313
Photo: © Kenneth Garrett
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Sets of small decorative plaques made in a wide variety of shapes—such as these lotus-shaped appliqués—were found in all of the tombs at Tillya Tepe and constitute the largest group of objects from that site. They were sewn or otherwise affixed to hats, robes, and other pieces of clothing. Some are made of gold; others are gold with stone inlay. While the gold used to make these decorations was local, the semiprecious stones attest to a wide range of trading contacts. Turquoise, which is the most-used inlay material found at the site, was probably mined in the area of Khorassan, in northern Iran. The carnelian found on other items may have come from further west, while the rare examples of amethyst were probably from India.
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