Tucked along the picturesque Zeravshan River in the rocky mountains of northwestern Tajikistan lies the ruins of a forgotten, ancient palace. Known as the Royal Palace at Sanjar-Shar, its remains are about seven miles east of modern-day Panjakent. Visitors to the ancient palace would’ve been greeted by a treasure trove of goods from across the ancient world, from ornate Chinese mirrors to gilded belt buckles. The perplexing fire muralIn the late 1940s, Soviet archaeologists began excavating the Royal Palace at Sanjar-Shar. The third figure also wears a padām, “a ritual mouth cover, still in use today by Zoroastrian priests,” Shenkar writes.