Artifacts of Miankala, (Mian Fortress)

[jack farrell]

In my trip to the Silk Road, my stalwart translator friend presented me with a book of this title by Bugathenkova, unfortunately in Russian. A few here will recognize the name of the Orlat Necropolis, or what Russian archaeologist V. Karasev describes as Kurgan Tepe. Please know that these are all the same site and this book catalogs the artifacts of this site where the bone belt plaques showing the famous bow hunting and fighting scenes were found. The peoples were Saka tribesmen in the Sogdian nation of central Asia, c 200AD.

The list of artifacts of burial K2, the same grave as the Orlat plaques includes a thumb ring. I cannot say from reviewing the etching of the artifacts that this is evident but there is a long section on weapons and the information seems accurate. Karasev is credited by the author as being a major excavator of the site, having dug there many seasons, many graves.

While visiting just across the border from Samarkand area (near Orlat) in Penjikent we saw clearly on the preserved murals that the knights of Penjukent were using thumb draw on their fighting scenes. These are maybe half life size and the detail is superior to the Orlat plaques.

Penjikent was also a Sogdian city, a sister city to Mainkala; the murals dating to the 7th century.

Archaeologists have noted that artifacts found are represented perfectly in the murals.

Together, these two independent sources would seem to indicate that Sogdians ,in the middle of the old Silk Road, used thumb release.

Jack.

[Bede]

Jack,
Did you note what kind of thumb ring? Have you its measurements?

[jack farrell]

Bede; I don't think I see the ring in the etching of the artifacts. Too bad but maybe something will pop up. tantilizing. -j-