Parallels Between Two Civilizations

Regardless, the two women—whose images are now preserved in museums in Ashgabat and Heraklion—are united by time and their similar facial features. It’s no coincidence that the renowned archaeologist, Professor Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi, who discovered Margush and spent forty years excavating its capital city layer by layer, often drew parallels between Margush and Knossos in his research. He saw in the similarities between these images, in certain other artifacts, and in architectural structures, evidence of a common cultural root. This root, he believed, spread from the heart of Mesopotamia, branching out both westward and eastward, giving rise to new civilizations.

In both Margush and Crete, numerous terracotta figurines with hands crossed over the chest have been discovered. Similar figures appear across various historical regions from Egypt to India. Characteristic of the priestly caste, these figurines have disproportionately large eyes, either simply drawn on the soft clay or fashioned as round protrusions with a slit or dot representing the pupil, staring at us from the distant past, stirring the imagination and giving rise to countless speculations!

Archaeology is a science of precise material facts, but interpreting these facts within their temporal context, in conjunction with intangible heritage like myths, songs, and legends, is a creative process that allows for conjecture and even imaginative speculation.

These figurines might have been miniature representations of goddesses or vessels for the souls of ancestors who had passed but were still remembered in temple sanctuaries or at home altars.

Another illustration of similar findings across different ancient civilizations is the depiction of bull-leaping, a scene found in both Knossos and Margush—on a fresco in Crete and on a stone seal-amulet in Margush.

The Knossian bull is captured mid-stride, its legs outstretched, head bent towards its chest, with powerful horns ready to strike its opponent. The bull-leaper is depicted in three positions on the fresco. First, he grabs the bull by the horns and pushes off from the ground. In the next moment, he is performing an acrobatic somersault onto the bull’s back. A final leap, and the acrobat lands on his feet with arms outstretched as the bull charges onward, subdued by human skill.

Part of a similar scene is preserved on a fragment of a steatite seal found in the temple of Togolok, located south of Gonur-Depe in ancient Margush. The amulet is shaped like a stylized figure of a two-humped camel, though its front part is missing. On the remaining section, an enraged bull charges at an unseen opponent, its eyes wide with anger, mouth open, ready to strike with its sharp horns. But behind the bull, the ancient artist depicted a leaping acrobat, already airborne over the fearsome creature. The acrobat’s legs are still in mid-air, though the rest of the body is lost to time, but the imagination fills in the missing details, drawing a scene similar to the one on the Knossian fresco: the acrobat touches the ground with his hands, ready to spring up in the next somersault.

What connects different cultures that blossomed in the ancient world? A shared understanding of the forces of nature? Their deification? Similar worship rituals? We yearn to know all the answers, but history is a secretive mistress. Majestic and enigmatic, she stands apart, observing those who search, discover, marvel, and speculate. Yet only she knows the full truth! Perhaps one day, she will bestow upon archaeologists new artifacts that unlock the mysteries of distant times, turning another page in the story of humanity.

But for now, the common thread between the cultures of seemingly disparate civilizations like the Bactria-Margiana and Minoan is evident. And this connection is both fascinating and thought-provoking, sometimes even leading to fantastical speculations.

The Tree of Life, depicted on the edge of a Margush amulet, still thrives today. Its mighty branches are renewed with young leaves, each cell preserving the memory of the roots that draw nourishing sap from the earth. While we may never see those roots—too deep!—we can still glimpse the leaves on the branches!