For the majority of the valleys of southern Tajikistan in the epoch of early Middle Ages - this time there was great economic and cultural progress. Especially construction of the main irrigation channel of large extent should be noted in 6C or 7C in the Valley Vakhsh; the local population completely definitely connected its remainders with the Pre-Islam period, calling this channel of Kafyr. Its route was possible to trace to more than one hundred kilometers.

Here, in the outskirts of Kolkhozabad, the fortification of Kafyr-kala - ruins of capital of the early-Middle Ages domain of Vakhsh is located. It is clearly divided into three self-contained parts: citadel, strictly city and suburb. City together with the citadel forms the rectangular area (360 x 360 m), surrounded from all sides by defensive walls with the towers and ditch. Citadel (in the north-eastern angle of fortification) square in the plan (70 x 70 m), is raised above the surrounding locality on 12 m, it was well fortified.

The excavations of fortification were conducted in 1956 - 1957 under the management of T. I. Zeimal, in 1968 - 1969. - B. A. Litvinskiy, in 1970. - E. P. Denisov, and since 1973 them conducts V. S. Solovev. The territory of citadel is now practically completely excavated on the upper layer. When palace on the citadel existed, it was already in the latest stage of the life of city (middle 8C). In the palace ceremonial receiving halls, cult, habitable and economic accommodations are excavated. Building was conducted according to a strict plan, which testifies about the geometric knowledge of builders. Base of walls (from the adobe blocks and the raw brick) is executed very thoroughly. The main accommodation of palace is rectangular (19 m x 10 m) hall with one entrance, along all walls of which clay projection-Sufa was arranged. In the middle of hall was wedge-shaped areas in the plan, on east from which, in wall, was placed large ritual center. This hall, whose two sides covered elbow-shaped corridor, entered into the composition of the complex system of accommodations.

Into the same system of accommodations entered the small Buddhist temple excavated on the citadel, whose central accommodation - square dome-like chamber (3.4 x 3.4 m) - was surrounded from four sides by roundabout corridor and it is decorated with painting. Unfortunately, the very strong saltiness of soil - reason for the fact that entire picturesque decoration of this city were practically perished: it is possible to only establish existence of wall paintings in one or other accommodation or another and their arrangement, but to judge their content is impossible.

On the exhibition, only separate findings from this monument are represented, which give interest for the history artistic cultures of Tajikistan as a whole. There were here discovered the samples of Indian (by Brahmi) and Arab documents, coin, the objects of material culture.

Small excavations in the territory of city itself somewhat revealed habitable constructions, including complex with the large ceremonial hall, not considerably inferior to main hall on the citadel from only the point of view of size.

Apparently, city appeared even in the time of Kushan in this place. Fortification Kafyrkala - monument has the layers of three periods - Late Kushan (on the citadel), second half of 6C - first half of 7C and second half of 7C - first half of 8C. Planning of buildings of early periods, which was explained on the citadel, was only partially but considerably differed from the planning of late palace. Above all, the round dome-like hall by diameter about 8m related to early period, simultaneously was built with them (but it functioned later, for the duration of last period) to Buddhist temple. Buildings of Late Kushan underwent extensive destruction with the erection of the buildings of second half of 6C - first half of 7C.

The merits of the artistic articles, discovered from Kafyrkala fortification, apparently, must not astonish us - indeed this was capital. However, silver cup with the image of woman, i.e. object clearly belonged to noble one, was found by Y. Yakubov from one of the tumulus highly in the mountains (tomb of Lakhsh 2, Jirgatali region, in 1,5 km from the settlement of Jayilgan). And another funeral inventory were also iron sword and with gold broach, from the sepulchral pit (2,6 m x of 1,1 m, at the depth of 1,65 m), covered by stone tiles.

Existence of the Buddhist temple on the citadel in the city of Vakhsh completely confirms the information of written sources: pious pilgrims noted that czar and the people of this country were believers of the Hinayana Buddhism.

Increacingly complete idea about the propagation of Buddhism in southern Tajikistan in 7C - 8C was given by another monument - the Buddhist monastery of Ajinatepa, also existed in the territory of the dominion of Vakhsh. But it is considerably upper reaches of the route of the main channel of Kafyr. The excavations (1960 - 1975) were led by B. A. Litvinskiy and T. I. Zeimal, and monastery was completely excavated.

Ajinatepa is situated in 12 km to the east from the city of Kurgan-Thbe. In the plan the monastery is rectangular (50 m x 100 m). As excavations revealed, monastery consisted of two parts, in the center of each of them was the square court, surrounded by buildings. In southern (cloister) half the court was vacant. In the middle of each side of court was two-part accommodation, which consists of Ayvan (accommodation with three walls, turned by the open side into the court), in back of which was passage into square (or almost square) Sella. These paired accommodations are axial, symmetrically situated according to the relation to each other. Ayvan are connected together by elbow-shaped corridors. From these corridors the part of the openings led into the other rear court, into the small one- or two-part cells of monks and into the corridor-like accommodations of economic usage. There were also (badly preserved) accommodations, attached to the external facade of monastery (in its southern angle). The plan of the first floor is such. There was a second floor, into accommodations of which it was possible to enter on the uphill fixed-ramp; however, very accommodations of second floor practically were not preserved.

The entrance into the monastery was arranged in the center of the eastern facade of building, where Sella- vestibule with the ramp was located. Sella of its opposite, western side was large - the hall for meetings of monastic community.

Through the pair of accommodations in the middle of western side, it was possible to enter into another. Northern half of monastery was strictly the part of temple. The planning of this part is approximately the same as the first part. Principal difference consists only of the fact that the center section of the court was occupied with large Stupa in half of temple. This Stupa - terrace-visible, cross-shaped-star-like in the plan, oriented by angles in the cardinal points. Each of four facades had the flight of stairs. The stepped skirting, which was being repeatedly overhauled, decorated the base of Stupa. The maximum size of Stupa on the base was 28 m, the preserved height of more than 6 m. Above the upper terrace of Stupa was built cylindrical drum.

In the angles of court the small Stupas, analogous to large Stupa in their form, were located, but it is ten times less in the sizes. Small Stupas were also built in the accommodations of the northern front of palatial room. The miniature clay models of these constructions give an idea about the outward appearance of Stupas. In one of these models was found clay tablet with the Buddhist prayer.

The building of monastery was built from the adobes (earth and sand strengthen by clay) blocks and the raw brick, with the very massive walls (thickness 2,2 - 2,4 m). The elongated rectangular accommodations were reroofed by domes ,square cupolas, apertures of arches.

Ajinatepa was built by the skilful architect (or architects). Clear rhythm- geometric composition structure is characteristic for the ensemble. The sanctuaries of Ayvan are four-Ayvan-court planning, two-part diagram, combination of cameras and corridors. And they are characteristic to Brick-adobe of architectural constructions of walls and ceilings - All of which is deeply organically combined in the united architectural organism. Surprising order and proportionality of composition with free and daring application of architectural forms and elements characterize the architecture of this monument.

Monastery was richly decorated. Walls and arches of many accommodations were covered with painting; on the pedestals near the wall and in the niches embedded into the depth of wall were located large and small sculptures. In two main sanctuaries (northern and southern side of central accommodations) there was especially much sculpture. In the southern sanctuary, on the central pedestal, the large sculpture of Buddha (diameter of head is 90 cm) was located; on other two pedestals, there were also sitting Buddha’s figures. The surfaces of pedestals as the wall of sanctuaries, were painted, moreover the image of the scene of presenting was preserved in one case.

A large quantity of fragments of the clay sculpture was discovered in the pile of the central sanctuary of palatial room. They depicted the various characters of Buddhist pantheon, executed on the various scales: from the life-sized figures to very small. A part of these sculptures was located on the pedestals near the wall, another entered as component element in the very ornate high relief compositions, which decorated the walls of sanctuary.

A large quantity of painting and large sculptures was found also in the corridors of palatial part. The walls of corridors were covered with painting on top to bottom. Unfortunately, it reached us in the fragments, on which is not always possible to reconstruct depicted subjects. Indisputably it is possible to speak about the scenes of Buddha's sermon. It is depicted in the environment of listeners (corridor of XXII, the sanctuary of XXXII, the painting of the court of Stupa) and about the scenes of presenting with gifts.

Conservation and extraction of "Buddha in the nirvana" it was the very complex matter: this is a sculpture as other sculptures of Ajinatepa, prepared from the clay. This work accomplished large group of restorers from Leningrad, headed П. И. Костров (National Ermitaj), after cutting sculpture into the large pieces and fastening them. Further restoration was conducted in the restoration- technological laboratory of the institute of the history named А. Дониш.

Among the sculptures and relieves there are images of Buddhas (figure of Buddha occupies central place in the iconography of Ajinatepa), bodhisattva, various deities, demonic beings, ascetics, noble secular characters, image of beasts and birds, friezes with various ornamental motives, etc.

On the exhibition is represented only the small part of the monuments of art, discovered with the excavations of Ajinatepa. Furthermore, was found a remarkable quantity of objects of material culture and coins. The wall painting of arches consisted of thousand of small images of sitting Buddhas, located in rows. Sitting Buddhas's sculptures with size in one and half times were located in the deep niches of the block-like pedestals. Poses were differed from each other, but they are all canonical - each symbolizes the different stages of life and activity of Buddha (pose of deep meditation, preaching, etc.). The gigantic figure of lying Buddha in the nirvana in the traditional pose of the "sleeping lion" was located in the eastern section of the corridor of half of temple, on the flat low pedestal. The right hand was bent in the elbow, rested on the pillows of bed-head (five rows - pillow). The left hand was elongated along the body, with palm lying on the thigh. Figure was preserved not completely: head and right hand were lost and lay on the floor of accommodation in the fragments; the part of the trunk was damaged. The value of figure can be judged from the size of sole (1,9 m), the overall length of sculpture exceeded 12 m.

On the wide acceptance of Buddhism in southern Tajikistan in the epoch of early-Middle Ages, the excavations of the fortification of Kalai Kafirnigan testify, which were carried out under the management of Б. А. Литвинский in 1974 - 1980 (in the middle reaches of the River Kafirnigan, in 80 km to the southwest of Dushanbe, in the outskirts of the village of Esambay of the Leninin region). The fortification was elongated from the north to the south by 275m with the width 100 - 150m (area of 3.5 ha), in its southeastern part it was divided by ditch of pentagonal citadel. Fortification was surrounded by collapsed wall with the protrusion-towers, the ditch cut off approaches to it. Fortification has multi-layer, upper layer relates to 7C - 8C.

In the center of settlement was excavated the square (or almost rhombus) hall, surrounded - according to the original plan - by corridor. Inside the hall, along the walls there was two-level Sufa with the "stage" against the entrance. In the center is an elevation, on which stood stone platform for offering. Wooden ceiling was supported on the four columns decorated with carving. Carved wooden panels decorated walls. - For example, two-meter panel with the image of the opposing peacocks. In the ornamentation of carved wooden beams, the motive of the twisted grapevine predominated.

Next to this building (apparently, habitable aristocratic residence), other construction was located, in northern half of which small Buddhist temple was located. In its centre was sanctuary with two entrances on one axis, enveloped from three sides by U-shaped corridor. On the fourth side, in one of them is entrance - the four-column portico, which adjoined the enclosed court of temple. In the centre of square (4,69 x 4,95 m) sanctuary was located large figured pedestal with the protrusions for sculptural figures to stand. In the niche, cut in one of the walls, sitting Buddha's figure was located. In the corridor also there was a pedestal with the large figure of sitting Buddha. The walls of corridor and its arch were covered with painting. The large section of the two-level painting was preserved: in the upper tier - sitting Buddha and along his sides two figures confronting, in the lower tier - being moved to the right ritual procession.

Excavations on the fortification of Kalai Kafirnigan, besides the monuments of art, gave the extensive complex of findings of the diverse objects of material culture of 6C - 8C.