A unique gift from one of the world’s prestigious galleries

The exhibition of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan has been further enriched with another valuable artifact. The prestigious DAVID AARON Gallery of Great Britain generously presented the Center with unique ornaments. Among them are a gold necklace inlaid with precious stones dating back to the first millennium BCE, a necklace made of turquoise and onyx with black borders from the Hellenistic period, and another gold necklace adorned with agate stones.

DAVID AARON Gallery has long-standing expertise in Islamic art and ancient objects from Central Asia, paying particular attention to sourcing museum-quality items from reliable origins.

According to gallery representatives, the three ancient ornaments presented are closely tied to the history of the ancient Silk Road and once again highlight Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage.

Two of the necklaces date back to the Hellenistic period, roughly the 3rd–1st centuries BCE, known as a flourishing era of jewelry craftsmanship. The other is believed to be much older, possibly created in Bactria during the first millennium BCE. These ornaments were crafted in various workshops and made with stones brought from different regions, said Solomon Aaron, a representative of DAVID AARON Gallery.

Historical sources indicate that such necklaces were once used as gifts, and in some cases even as a form of currency, and were highly valued by the ancestors living in what is now modern Uzbekistan and neighboring regions.

Gallery representatives expressed their great satisfaction in presenting these unique artifacts to Uzbekistan. This donation forms an important part of a larger program aimed at restoring, preserving, and promoting historical monuments created in the territory of the country on a global scale.

It is worth noting that on September 26–27 of this year, the prestigious international forum “The Legacy of the Great Past – the Foundation of an Enlightened Future” was held at the Center for Islamic Civilization. The event gathered more than 100 specialists scholars, researchers, museum and library directors, and cultural heritage experts from over 20 countries. Within the framework of the forum, a number of international museums, prestigious galleries, and private collectors presented distinctive exhibits to the museum of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, established under the initiative and vision of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.