Compilation and explanatory text by N. B. GAFUROVA The creative collaboration of two scientists, I. A. Orbeli and B. G. Gafurov, began in 1948, I. A. Orbeli headed the State Hermitage Museum, and B. G. Gafurov served as the first secretary of the Central Committee of Tajikistan * . The reason for I. A. Orbeli's letter to B. G. Gafurov was a golden female figurine found by Tajik collective farmers in the village of Khayit in the Garm region in 1946. In the same year, the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, the Tajik Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the SSR and the State Hermitage Museum established a Sughd-Tajik expedition led by corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. A. Y. Yakubovsky of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR brought archaeological research in Tajikistan to a new level. The scope of the work was unprecedented and covered almost the entire territory of the republic ** . This was facilitated by the efforts and great support of B. G. Gafurov, who was working at that time on a fundamental work on the history of the Tajik people. He foresaw that archaeological science would become very important, since "entire epochs and many periods of the history of the Tajik people and their ancestors are known only through archaeological discoveries." 1 By order of B. G. Gafurov, the treasure found in Khaita was immediately sent to the State Hermitage Museum through A. Y. Yakubovsky and personally to I. A. Orbeli for research and replenishment of the collection of ancient monuments of the Department of the East, which I. A. Orbeli collected with such love and perseverance. In response, B. G. Gafurov receives a letter from I. A. Orbeli: Dear Bobojan Gafurovich, I would like to inform you that Kamila Vasilyevna Trever is finishing her research on the wonderful monument of culture and art of the Tajik people - the golden figurine of Anahita, which was transferred to the Hermitage by A. Y. Yakubovsky ... Читать далее