The Oxus Auloi

Archaeological, material and art-historical context

Abstract

This article examines the archaeological context of the Oxus Auloi, ancient wind instruments unearthed at the Oxus Temple in Takht-i Sangin, Tajikistan. Based on excavation records, the instruments were likely produced in the 3rd or early 2nd century BCE and deposited around the mid-2nd century BCE. Their spatial distribution in Corridor 6 – a space used for storing damaged or retired votive offerings – provides clues about their ritual treatment and fragmentation. The article situates these instruments within broader traditions of votive practice and ritual sound in Hellenistic Bactria, arguing that although they exhibit Greek stylistic traits, they were likely produced locally, reflecting cross-cultural entanglements in the region.