ABSTRACT
In the last few years surface investigations deep in the sands of the southeastern Karakum Desert, where the ancient delta of the Murghab River once was located, have led to the discovery of a large number of previously unknown Bronze Age sites. 1 The settlements are located in several separate oases that are situated along the branches of the former deltaic fan. Two such oases are particularly interesting: Gonur and Togolok, each of which consists of a large capital city and several smaller associated centers. The number of exposed sites, the general form of the culture, and its broad areal distribution make it possible for us to suggest that these sites in the lower Murghab represent that ancient land called in later times, according to the Behistun inscription, “the land of Margush.”
