The site is usually attributed to the early
Kushans, or their ancestors the
Yuezhi/
Tocharians. It was excavated by
Galina Pugachenkova between 1959 and 1963. The interior walls are decorated with clay sculptures and paintings dated to the mid-1st century BCE, but they are thought to represent events as early as the 2nd century BCE. Various panels depict scenes of Kushan life: battles, feasts, portraits of rulers. Some of the Khalchayan sculptural scenes are thought to depict the Kushans fighting against a
Saka tribe.
Portrait of a Parthian king The bust of a Parthian king was discovered among the sculptures at Khalchayan, and the time period and resemblance from numismatics suggest that this may represent
Vardanes I as he sought refuge, and possibly an alliance, in
Bactria at the Yuezhi court.
Tacitus related that Vardanes "took refuge among the Bactrians", after his failure at the siege of
Seleucia circa 35 CE. File:Kalchayan_Prince_profile.jpg|The Prince displays
artificial cranial deformation. File:Khalchayan statuette, 1st century BCE (detail).jpg|Another terracotta statue from Khalchayan, 1st century BCE-1st century CE.
Termez Archaeological Museum. File:Scythian soldier, Kalchayan (side).jpg|Saka soldier, Kalchayan File:Kalchayan, King on a throne.jpg|Kalchayan, King on a throne File:Kalchayan portrait.jpg|Kalchayan portrait.
Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan File:Khalchayan Parthian king.jpg|Portrait of a Parthian king, possibly
Vardanes I. File:Khalchayan cherub.jpg|Khalchayan cherub. ==Influences==