Pre-Islamic Central Asia bronze 500-600 AD Large drachm, ruler Wanwan (?), 500-600, Chach, Central Asia

Diademed bust left / Circular Sogdian legend around tamgha, ch'ch'n n'p'ch wnwn xwb ("Wanwan ruler of Chachan people"). 22mm, 3.76 grams. Smirnova -; Shagalov/Kuznetzov type 5-7 (#11-13); Zeimal fig. 6, 1-4.

Very large example. Alternative interpretation of the reverse legend exists, where "Wanwan" is interpreted not as a name but as a title "Victorious".

The principality of Chach, whose main town had a square citadel built around the 5th to 3rd centuries BC, some 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of the Syr Darya River. By the 7th century AD, Chach had over 30 towns and a network of over 50 canals, forming a trade center between the Sogdians and Turkic nomads. The region came under the sway of Islam in the early parts of the 8th century.

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