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Archaeologists have made a revealing discovery at the ancient Sogdian palace of Sanjar-Shah in Tajikistan, uncovering fragments of a unique mural depicting priests performing an elaborate fire worship ceremony. This remarkable find provides unprecedented insights into religious practices along the Silk Road and represents the first known depiction of Sogdian fire worship outside funerary contexts.
The extraordinary wall painting, discovered during excavations in 2022-2023, shows a procession of four priests accompanied by a child approaching a large stationary fire altar beneath an ornate arch. Dr. Michael Shenkar from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who led the research published in Antiquity, describes this as “a rare addition to Sogdian visual culture, previously confined to funerary contexts.”
The palace at Sanjar-Shah, located 12 kilometers east of the famous Silk Road city of Panjikent, served as the residence of the last ruler of this influential Sogdian civilization during the 8th century. The Sogdians were master traders who dominated commerce along the Silk Road for centuries, creating a sophisticated urban culture that bridged East and West.