Ancient treasures thought lost in the chaos of Afghanistan's modern invasions, wars, coups, and countercoups will be on display in the United States for the first time, starting in May 2008, officials announced today.

The traveling exhibition will showcase more than 200 artifacts from four archaeological sites, including a hundred gold objects from the fabled "Bactrian hoard."

The 2,000-year-old Bactrian treasures were discovered in 1978 in the graves of six nomads who lived in the ancient nation of Bactria, which covered parts of what is now Afghanistan.

Russian-Greek archaeologist Viktor Sarianidi unearthed a trove of gold ornaments—necklaces, belts, rings, and headdresses set with semiprecious jewels—from a site called Tillya Tepe.