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The Sapalli Culture is the Southern Uzbek variant of the Late Bronze Age Namazga VI complex. It is a culture of sedentary farmers
settling along the tributaries of the Surkhandarya river. In the archaeological literature this region is also referred to as Northern Bactria.
Presently five sites are known, which have been studied since the 1960s. The eponymous site of Sapallitepe and Dzarkutan were
explored by the Archaeological Institute of the Uzbek Academy of Science under the direction of A. Askarov. At the latter site, the
German Archaeological Institute was active between 1994 and 2003. The Institute of Art Historical Research worked at Mollalitepe.
A large necropolis in Bustan is currently being dug by N. Avanesova (University of Samarkand). Tilla Bulak is the most recently
discovered Sapalli Culture site. Besides, surface finds were made near Denau and in the Zerafshan Valley. In its material culture close
relations exist with both Western Tajikistan (Tandyrjul) and Northern Afghanistan (the oasis of Dashly).

Map of Late Bronze Ages sites in Northern Bactria and adjoining areas (dated 2005)


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The Sapalli Culture is the Southern Uzbek variant of the Late Bronze Age Namazga VI complex. It is a culture of sedentary farmers settling along the tributaries of the Surkhandarya river. In the archaeological literature this region is also referred to as Northern Bactria. Presently five sites are known, which have been studied since the 1960s. The eponymous site of Sapallitepe and Dzarkutan were explored by the Archaeological Institute of the Uzbek Academy of Science under the direction of A. Askarov. At the latter site, the German Archaeological Institute was active between 1994 and 2003. The Institute of Art Historical Research worked at Mollalitepe. A large necropolis in Bustan is currently being dug by N. Avanesova (University of Samarkand). Tilla Bulak is the most recently discovered Sapalli Culture site. Besides, surface finds were made near Denau and in the Zerafshan Valley. In its material culture close relations exist with both Western Tajikistan (Tandyrjul) and Northern Afghanistan (the oasis of Dashly). Map of Late Bronze Ages sites in Northern Bactria and adjoining areas (dated 2005)
Literature: А. Аскаров, Сапаллитепа [A. Askarov, Sapallitepe] (Ташкент / Tashkent 1973). А. Аскаров, Древнеземледельческая культура эпохи бронзы юга Узбекистана [A. Askarov, Drevnezemledel'cheskaja kul'tura epokhi bronzy Juga Uzbekistana – Ancient farmer culture of the South Uzbek Bronze Age] (Ташкент / Tashkent 1977). А. Аскаров / Б. Абдуллаев, Джаркутан [A. Askarov / B. Abdullaev, Dzarkutan] (Ташкент / Tashkent 1983). А. Аскаров / Т. Ширинов, Ранняя городская культура эпохи бронзы юга Средней Азии [A. Askarov / T. Shirinov, Rannaja gorodskaja kul'tura epokhi bronzy Juga Srednej Azii – The early urban culture of Bronze Age in South Central Asia] (Самарканд / Samarkand 1991). J. Görsdorf / D. Huff, 14C-Datierungen von Materialien aus der Grabung Dzarkutan, Uzbekistan. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 33, 2001, 75-87. K. Kaniuth, Metallobjekte der Bronzezeit aus Nord-Baktrien. Archäologie in Iran und Turan 6 (Mainz 2006). P. L. Kohl, Central Asia. Palaeolithic beginnings to the Iron Age (Paris 1984). H. Parzinger / N. Boroffka, Das Zinn in der Bronzezeit in Mittelasien I. Archäologie in Iran und Turan 5 (Mainz 2003). Ш. Б. Шайдуллаев, Северная Бактрия в эпоху раннего железного века [S. Shajdullaev, Severnaja Baktrija v epokhu rannego zheleznogo veka / Northern Bactria in early Iron Age] (Ташкент / Tashkent 2000). M. Teufer, The Late Bronze Age chronology of Southern Uzbekistan. A reanalysis of the funerary evidence. In: U. Franke-Vogt / H. Weisshaar (Hrsg.), South Asian Archaeology 2003. Forschungen zur Archäologie Außereuropäischer Kulturen 1 (Aachen 2005) 199-209. V. I. Sarianidi, Die Kunst des alten Afghanistan (Leipzig 1986).