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Abstract

On the 13th of March 1878, the body of Khanibek Shakshsuarov, also known as Khanibek Shakhdir Khodzhyev, was found on the banks of the river Gim-Kizil-Sai not far from the village of Nomdanak. One month earlier, in early February several villagers of Nomdanak, including Bahrom Xodja, Gabit Xodja, and the aforementioned Khanibek, reportedly discovered a large number of silver coins dating to the period of Amir Temur, the 14th century empire builder. Rumors of this find then spread to the Russian administration in Tashkent via the Central Asian archaeologist Akram Askarov and grew within Nomdanak itself as fellow villagers discussed the newly found coins at the local mosque and bazaar. As interest in the coins grew among members of the Russian administration, so did acts of violence in the village. Bahrom Xodja was stabbed, non-fatally, in the throat shortly after the find was discovered. Meanwhile, Khanibek fled the village on March 11th, before being found dead, seemingly murdered, only two days later.

By examining the Russian investigation into both the alleged archaeological find in Nomdanak and the murder of Khanibek, my paper explores the different systems of value through which the Russian administration, Central Asian archeologists, and the residents of Nomdanak interpreted the importance of this alleged find of old silver coins. Utilizing Russian and Central-Asian-Turki language materials produced by the investigation, including transcripts of interviews, petitions from residents of Nomdanak, as well as police reports, I argue that residents of Nomdanak, through written complaints alleging the corruption of local officials, as well as through acts of violence, articulated a rational of communal ownership of the coins. This understanding of the entire village’s “rights” to the coins was opposed to both the demands of the men who found the coins and the demands of the Russian colonial state. Via sifting through contrasting narratives regarding: the number of coins located, those involved in the excavation, the identities of those perpetuating violence, and alleged acts of attempted bribery, I show the Russian authorities inability to either locate the coins or identity of Khanibek’s killer, and show the ways in which finds of old coins in the 19th century could inspire the mobilization of a community, the writing of petitions, and, potentially, even murder.