Afrasiab painting


The Afrasiab painting, also called the Ambassadors' Painting, is a rare example of Sogdian art. It was discovered in 1965 when the local authorities decided the construction of a road in the middle of Afrāsiāb mound, the old site of pre-Mongol Samarkand. It is now preserved in a special museum on the Afrāsiāb mound.
The painting dates back to the middle of the 7th century CE. On the four walls of the room of a private house, three or four countries in neighbouring Central Asia are depicted. On the northern wall China, on the Southern Wall Samarkand, on the eastern wall India.
The topic on the main wall, the western wall facing the entrance is debated between specialists. Kökturk soldiers are escorting ambassadors coming from various countries of the world. There are three main hypotheses. The leading expert on Sogdian painting, the excavator of Panjikent, B. Marshak points out that Sogdian painting, gods are always depicted on the top of the main wall. However, as the Turks are guiding the embassies but are not themselves ambassadors, it has been suggested also that the Turkish Qaghan, then lord of inner and central Asia, might be depicted there. A Chinese text is indeed saying that the idea of the "Four Lords of the World", here China, India, Iran and Turks, is depicted on the walls of palaces near Samarkand precisely during this period, and this would perfectly fit the four walls of this room. The last hypothesis makes use of an inscription mentioning the king of Samarkand to propose the idea that the ambassadors are presenting their gifts to him.
In early 2014, France declared that it would finance the restoration of the Afrasiab painting.