10. Oxus Treasure
The Oxus Treasure is a collection of approximately 180 gold and silver artifacts from the Achaemenid Persian period, discovered between 1877 and 1880 near the Oxus River, in present-day Tajikistan. The exact provenance remains unclear, leading to debates over its authenticity and rightful ownership. In 2007, Tajikistan’s President Emomalii Rahmon called for its repatriation, but the British Museum maintains that the artifacts were legally acquired and have been on display since 2007. (worldhistory.org)
