The Reliquary from Gonur

Among the unique artifacts housed in the Museum of Fine Arts, one item stands out for its extraordinary significance—a reliquary, as it was named by the esteemed academic Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi. This wooden chest, intricately decorated with plaster or limestone panels, captures the imagination with its artistic craftsmanship.

The chest, adorned with a botanical motif, was unearthed from the burial site of the elite in Gonur-Depe. Typically, such reliquaries were placed beside the deceased, filled with valuable items believed to accompany their owner into the afterlife. Often, these reliquaries were looted in ancient times. Sarianidi suggested that they were intentionally positioned in prominent locations to distract attention from treasures hidden in carefully concealed chambers.

The existence of these reliquaries highlights the advanced level of artistic craftsmanship and the refined aesthetic taste of the people of Gonur. The creation of these masterpieces was a multi-stage process: first, a wooden frame, about a meter long and half a meter wide and tall, was constructed. This frame was then covered with decorative panels that mimicked inlay work, with the elements of the design meticulously arranged with jeweler-like precision, followed by a coat of paint. This suggests a highly specialized craft unique to this region, as similar reliquaries have not been found at other archaeological sites.

The master artisans from the banks of the Murgab River developed a unique technique of mosaic art. According to Sarianidi, the intricate mosaic work of Gonur unveiled a new, previously unknown chapter in the history of ancient Eastern art. The decorative panels of the chest were inspired by heart-shaped leaves of the pipal tree.

This botanical motif was likely borrowed through cultural exchange with ancient India, where the pipal tree, revered as the sacred fig, held deep spiritual significance. According to legend, it was under this tree that Buddha attained enlightenment. This explains the use of the exotic plant’s image in the mosaic decoration of this ritual object. In various cultures, floral motifs carried not only aesthetic appeal but also symbolic meaning, often serving as markers of elite status. Consider the lily, a symbol of royal power in France, or the white chrysanthemum, the heraldic emblem of Japan’s Imperial House.

A statuette of a priest, found at the same site and adorned with the same heart-shaped pipal patterns on his cloak, confirms that this plant was believed to possess spiritual power in Margush culture.

Sadly, over the span of more than 4,000 years since its creation, time has not preserved the reliquary in its original state. However, thanks to the meticulous efforts of restorers, we can now admire the reconstructed form of this priceless piece of decorative art from the great and beautiful land of Margush.

The chests were not only decorated with botanical motifs but also with what is known as carpet patterns, supporting the theory of the ancient origins of Turkmen women’s handmade arts, such as felt-making and carpet weaving.