Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi or Victor Sarigiannides (Russian: Ви́ктор Ива́нович Сариани́ди; Greek: Βίκτωρ Σαρηγιαννίδης; September 23, 1929 – December 22, 2013) was a Soviet archaeologist. He discovered the remains of a Bronze Age culture in the Karakum Desert in 1976. The culture came to be known as the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex.
Viktor Sarianidi was born on September 23, 1929, in Tashkent in a family of Pontic Greek descent. His parents, Ioannis and Athena Sarianidi had immigrated there from Yalta in the 1920s.[1]
Sarianidi graduated from the Central Asian State University in 1952. He then obtained a master's degree in 1961 from the Institute of Archaeology of the Soviet Academy of Sciences in Moscow. His doctoral dissertation, titled Afghanistan in the Bronze and Iron Ages, came out in 1975.
Sarianidi joined the staff of the Institute of Archaeological, where he remained throughout his career.[2]
In 1996, he moved to Greece.
Sarianidi died in the night of December 22, 2013 in Moscow.[3]
Careeredit
While still a student, in 1949, Sarianidi began to work at archaeological sites in Turkmenistan under the supervision of Mikhail Masson. Following his graduation from the Central Asian State University in 1952, he joined the Historical Museum in Samarkand, where he worked for two years.[4]
Sarianidi participated in excavations of monuments of Tahirbey, Yaz Depe (1955-1956), Togolok (1970s). From 1974, he supervised excavations that led to the uncovering of the culture of Margiana (or Margush), and the discovery in 1990 of over 200 settlements dating to the Bronze Age and early Iron Age. Chief amongst these was the capital city Gonur Tepe, which was founded at the end of the third millennium BCE, lasting till around 1600 BCE. The city had a central palace protected by fortified walls with rectangular towers. Outside these walls, on the eastern side, was discovered the earliest known Fire temple, "predating Zoroaster [1000 BC?] by at least fifteen hundred years but linked with what would become the rituals of his faith".[5] Sacrificial temples had been set up along the southern and western faces of the walls. The temples were surrounded by a second series of reinforced monumental walls. In the south, two pools (one measuring 100 by 60 metres) were discovered, based on which it was speculated that the population of Gonur worshipped water. The discoveries of Margush and Gonurdepe caused Sarianidi to argue "that they proved[d] that the Amu Darya (Oxus River) valley in Central Asia constitutes a fourth point of origin of urban civilization, along with the Nile, Indus, and Tigris-Euphrates valleys."[6]
In 1978, Sarianidi discovered six undisturbed tombs at Tillya Tepe, dating to the 1st century BC. The deceased were richly equipped with gold, the so-called Bactrian Gold.
In 1996, a great necropolis was discovered 350 metres to the west of Gonur. Excavations there continued over the next ten years, and uncovered nearly 3000 graves.
^ abNikos Sidoropoulos (September 23, 2009). (in Russian). Novorossisk Urban Greek Association. Archived from the original on January 12, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
^"Viktor Sarianidi - obituary". The Daily Telegraph. January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
^Скончался российский археолог Сарианиди, нашедший золото Бактрии (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 23 December 2013. Retrieved 23 Dec 2013.
^ abc Президент Туркменистана и члены Кабинета Министров выразили соболезнование по поводу кончины Виктора Сарианиди. Туркменистан: золотой век (in Russian). Government of Turkmenistan. December 24, 2013. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
^S. Frederick Starr, Lost Enlightenment. Princeton University Press, 2013, p. 73
Documentary trailer about Victor Sarianidi: Black Sands directed by Anastasis Agathos
Victor Sarianidi: biographical note, also about Gonur Tepe archaeological site
December 02, 2023
viktor, sarianidi, viktor, ivanovich, sarianidi, victor, sarigiannides, russian, Ви, ктор, Ива, нович, Сариани, ди, greek, Βίκτωρ, Σαρηγιαννίδης, september, 1929, december, 2013, soviet, archaeologist, discovered, remains, bronze, culture, karakum, desert, 197. Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi or Victor Sarigiannides Russian Vi ktor Iva novich Sariani di Greek Biktwr Sarhgiannidhs September 23 1929 December 22 2013 was a Soviet archaeologist He discovered the remains of a Bronze Age culture in the Karakum Desert in 1976 The culture came to be known as the Bactria Margiana Archaeological Complex Viktor SarianidiBorn 1929 09 23 September 23 1929Tashkent Uzbek SSR Soviet UnionDiedDecember 22 2013 2013 12 22 aged 84 Moscow RussiaNationalitySovietScientific careerFieldsArchaeology Contents 1 Biography 2 Career 3 Awards and recognition 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBiography editViktor Sarianidi was born on September 23 1929 in Tashkent in a family of Pontic Greek descent His parents Ioannis and Athena Sarianidi had immigrated there from Yalta in the 1920s 1 Sarianidi graduated from the Central Asian State University in 1952 He then obtained a master s degree in 1961 from the Institute of Archaeology of the Soviet Academy of Sciences in Moscow His doctoral dissertation titled Afghanistan in the Bronze and Iron Ages came out in 1975 Sarianidi joined the staff of the Institute of Archaeological where he remained throughout his career 2 In 1996 he moved to Greece Sarianidi died in the night of December 22 2013 in Moscow 3 Career editWhile still a student in 1949 Sarianidi began to work at archaeological sites in Turkmenistan under the supervision of Mikhail Masson Following his graduation from the Central Asian State University in 1952 he joined the Historical Museum in Samarkand where he worked for two years 4 Sarianidi participated in excavations of monuments of Tahirbey Yaz Depe 1955 1956 Togolok 1970s From 1974 he supervised excavations that led to the uncovering of the culture of Margiana or Margush and the discovery in 1990 of over 200 settlements dating to the Bronze Age and early Iron Age Chief amongst these was the capital city Gonur Tepe which was founded at the end of the third millennium BCE lasting till around 1600 BCE The city had a central palace protected by fortified walls with rectangular towers Outside these walls on the eastern side was discovered the earliest known Fire temple predating Zoroaster 1000 BC by at least fifteen hundred years but linked with what would become the rituals of his faith 5 Sacrificial temples had been set up along the southern and western faces of the walls The temples were surrounded by a second series of reinforced monumental walls In the south two pools one measuring 100 by 60 metres were discovered based on which it was speculated that the population of Gonur worshipped water The discoveries of Margush and Gonurdepe caused Sarianidi to argue that they proved d that the Amu Darya Oxus River valley in Central Asia constitutes a fourth point of origin of urban civilization along with the Nile Indus and Tigris Euphrates valleys 6 In 1978 Sarianidi discovered six undisturbed tombs at Tillya Tepe dating to the 1st century BC The deceased were richly equipped with gold the so called Bactrian Gold In 1996 a great necropolis was discovered 350 metres to the west of Gonur Excavations there continued over the next ten years and uncovered nearly 3000 graves Awards and recognition editGold cross of Order of Honour of Greece 1 Honorary citizenship of Turkmenistan 2000 4 Makhtumkuli International Prize Turkmenistan 2001 4 Jamal ad Din al Afghani prize the highest cultural honour of Afghanistan See also editSouth Turkmenistan Complex Archaeological ExpeditionReferences edit a b Nikos Sidoropoulos September 23 2009 Viktoru Sarianidi 80 let in Russian Novorossisk Urban Greek Association Archived from the original on January 12 2014 Retrieved January 12 2014 Viktor Sarianidi obituary The Daily Telegraph January 10 2014 Retrieved January 12 2014 Skonchalsya rossijskij arheolog Sarianidi nashedshij zoloto Baktrii in Russian RIA Novosti 23 December 2013 Retrieved 23 Dec 2013 a b c Prezident Turkmenistana i chleny Kabineta Ministrov vyrazili soboleznovanie po povodu konchiny Viktora Sarianidi Turkmenistan zolotoj vek in Russian Government of Turkmenistan December 24 2013 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty url help S Frederick Starr Lost Enlightenment Princeton University Press 2013 p 73 Starr p 34External links editArticle about Viktor Sarigiannides incl picture ERT website in Greek Documentary trailer about Victor Sarianidi Black Sands directed by Anastasis Agathos Victor Sarianidi biographical note also about Gonur Tepe archaeological site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Viktor Sarianidi amp oldid 1182822063, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
