SOCIETY | 18:09 / 19.01.2019
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4 min read

Antique treasure worth millions of dollars was found in Tashkent (Photo)

During the research activities in the basement of one of the oldest buildings in the capital, scientists of the National University of Uzbekistan found treasure worth more than a million dollars. Allegedly, it was buried approximately 80 years ago.

The building was built in the 1870's. It was identified that there was a hidden room located underneath the cellar of this building. For almost 80 years, no one knew about it because an entry to the room was concealed.

The treasure consists of unique pieces of art, golden and silver coins, dishes and items produced in bourgeois style – ancient paintings made on the walls of the 19th-century Evangelic Protestant and Christian Orthodox churches in Tashkent, icons and items made of precious metals.

At present, the findings are being brought to the museum. Some findings are intended to be delivered to a private laboratory of German and Polish specialists for conducting restoration works.

Among these findings, there are the unique collections of Prince Romanov’s palace in 1918, well-known noblemen and scholars those came to Tashkent from Europe and St. Petersburg in 1920 and belongings of the victims during the Stalin repression in 1932-1938, including the lost material evidences from the General Jurabek's house.

Presently, the exact number, name and value of the findings have not been fully disclosed. The research works are going on with the participation of a group of academic experts on history and archeology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. Below are some examples of this treasure:

Golden microscope (XIX century, the Austrian empire)

Samples of gold and silver coins. There are dozens of coins in the treasury

Icon (XIX century) 

Solid gold bars (XX century. Total weight of these gold bars is 8 kg, just part of it is shown in the photo)

A sample of silver bar

Books brought from the palace of Russian Emperor in XVIII-XIX centuries that are decorated with gold

American “Book of Birds” (1830). The price is about $ 150,000. There are 4 such valuable books in the treasure

A book of 1535 in old Latin and Greek

Precious books of the XV-XVI centuries

Manuscripts from XII century to XVIII century

A wealthy Russian citizen Nikolai Dimo is the one who caused to bring this treasure to Central Asia

There are dozens of handwritten books of famous Uzbek thinkers of the Middle Ages (XII-XVII) among the findings.

A train came from Petersburg to Tashkent in 1920. People who brought the treasure to the country.

These unique and invaluable books are great treasure of not only Uzbekistan but also world-famous museums.

There were also dozens of religious and political documents during the reign of the Uzbek khans.

Meanwhile, the research is underway. We hope that scientists will dicover more findings.

These findings are protected by the state because of their historical significance.

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