Great Silk Roads Role Has Left Silky Heritage

In the East, people say: ``A sitting man is a mat while a walking man is a river." Motion is life, and traveling, learning about the world has always been a driving force behind progress.

The biggest transcontinental trade road, stretched from Rome to the ancient capital of Japan, Nara, bound Europe and Asia together.

Of course, trade between the East and West has been going on since time immemorial, but this road become the Great Road.

There was the ``lapis lazuli" road by which merchants delivered stone from Central Asia to Iran and Mesopotamia and even to Egypt.

Another road connected the regions of Khotana and Yarkent with the northern part of China. Moreover, to the countries of Asia minor from Sogdiana and Baktria had been exported cornelian. All these routes joined in the end with the Silk Road.

We should say that this road was not only one arterial road; it included different itineraries, which formed several branches.

One of the main roads, crossing Asia from east to west, started at ancient capital of China, Changan, and continued to its northwest boundary along the Gobi desert, through Tien Shan, while other caravans went through Fergana valley and the Tashkent Oasis to Samarqand ― capital of Sogdiana, Bukhara, Khorezm, further to the shores of the Caspian Sea.

Part of the caravans from Samarqand headed to Baktria and through Kashkadarya valley to Termez, from where, after crossing the Amudarya river, they headed to the South to Baktria and India.

Another branch from Tarim rounded Takla-Makan desert from the South through Khotan and Yarkent and led to Baktria (North Afganistan) and Merv, from where through Persia, and Syria they reached the Mediterranean, while some goods got through to Rome and Greece by sea.

Most of the trade on the caravan ways was silk, which is why the name of the road bears its name.

For example, in the early middle ages silk was the most used standard for evaluating worth, forcing out even gold.

In Sogdiana, the price of horse was equated to the price of 10 lengths of silk. Silk was used in the payment of mercenaries.

Marco Polo, the Venetian merchant and first European to reach the boundary of the Chinese empire used the silk road.

The ``Great Silk Road" was first introduced into popular use by German researcher Ferdinand Rihtgofen in his fundamental work ``China" in 1877.

Although silk was the main trade item, there were many other goods transported on the transcontinental road.

From Central Asia were exported horses, camels, military equipment, gold and silver, semiprecious stones and glassware, leather, carpets, cotton fabric, gold-embroidery, clothes, exotic fruits, watermelons, melons, apricots, sheep, guns, dogs, leopards and lions among others.

From China, caravans brought chinaware and iron dishes, furnished ware and cosmetics, tea and rice.

In a traveling bag of a merchant, you could find elephant's tusks, rhinoceros's horns, tortoise's shells, spices and many other things.

Not only trade caravans moved on the Great Silk Road but cultural achievements of nations and religious ideas were also disseminated alongside it.

Buddhism came to the Kushan kingdom and from here extended to China.

In the first centuries Christianity penetrated Asia Minor. Unbleached warriors of Arab Caliphate in VII century brought the Islam doctrine.

Hordes of Timuchin rolled past along the way laid by merchants and preachers, from the Mongol deserts to the European plains.

For long years, scientists and researchers traveled from caravan roads.

From the traveling notes and scientific works of Chinese monk Soan Czan and Venetian merchant Marko Polo, Arab traveler merchant Ahmed bin Fadlana and Bavarian warrior Shiltberger, Hungarian researcher Armini Vamberi and Swedish geographer Svena Hedina, Russian scientist Aleksey Fedchenko and French journalist Ella Mayer, American geologist Rafael Pampelli and French traveler Joseph Martin, we know about the history of nations along the Great Silk Road, about their traditions and manners.

The road served ancient Uzbek cities like Samarqand, Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabs, Termez, Tashkent with their architectural monuments, that personify centuries ― old history of Great Silk Road.

Samarqand, Eden of the East

``Precious pearl of the Islamic world," ``Edem of the East," ``Face of the Earth" were the names given to Samarqand by the poets and historians of the past.

Samarqand has a 2,500-year old history. Geographical location of Samarqand in Zarafshan river basin made this city the most important crossroads on the Great Silk Road.

Samarqand, as one of the most ancient cities of the world along with Rome, Athens and Babylon, is the most popular tourist center both of Uzbekistan and the whole Central Asia.

Founded in the middle of 1st century B.C., it was named first Marchanda and later Afrasiab. Its most prosperous time was under the rule of the Great Temur.

Born in Shakhrisabs, the Sahibkiran made Samarqand the capital of his great empire stretching from the Ind River up to the Bosfore.

For many centuries, the Registan Square was and still remains the center of Samarqand.

As the history says, many centuries ago, a small river crossed the square where the first madras was constructed.

Years have passed and the river dried up leaving only sands in the riverbed. In the 15th century the first madras was founded just on that place giving the square the name Registan (means ``The Sandy Spot").

Beginning from that time, all celebrations, festivals and Sunday's bazaars took place just at that place.

Shakhi-Zinda Mausoleum located on the hillside of the Afrasiab settlement is a monument of pride of all Central Asian architecture. The main construction took place during the 14th and 15th centuries under the rule of Amir Temur.

The female burial places of Temur's family predominate the ensemble.

The Gur-Emir Mausoleum was constructed by order of Amir Temur, because of the premature death of Sahibkiran's dearly beloved grandson, Mukhammad Sultan, and is preserved in the sacred memory of the Temurids under the turquoise domes of Ghur-Emir. (Ghur-Emir means ``The Tomb of the Emir").

The Juma Mosque built in 1399 in honour of Amir Temur's beautiful wife, Bibi-Khanum, is one of the most magnificent buildings in Samarqand. Construction of the mosque was continued for five years.

No expense was spared in terms of building materials and skilled workers for the mosque's construction.

But in 1405 Amir Temur died during military maneuvers in China. The mosque was not yet completed.

Today, only some of the renovated buildings bear testimony of the former splendor of the Bibi-Khanum mosque.

The history of Samarqand is closely connected to famous scientists, poets and philosophers such as Abu Ali ibn Sino, Rudhaki, Omar Khayam, Navoi, al-Khorezmi, etc.

Many tourists visit Samarqand to pay homage to the relics and sacred places of the Islamic world. One can visit the grave of Saint Kusam ibn-Abbas, a place that during the middle ages, when visited, was regarded equal to a Hajj to Mecca.

Samarqand with its unique historical and architectural monuments, age-old national traditions and holidays and secrets of Asian cuisine awaits guests to this experience of time long gone.

Bukhara

By the decision of UNESCO, Bukhara was included in the list of the world's most impressive scientific and cultural treasures.

``Bukhara-i-sharif" (Noble Bukhara) is the name given to Bukhara

in the Islamic world.

Bukhara is one of the most ancient cities of Uzbekistan, situated on a sacred hill. This city is named in a holy book ``Avesta." The name of Bukhara originates from the word ``viraha" which means ``monastery" in Sanskrit.

This is the only city in Central Asia where the unique historical atmosphere remains as a whole. Bukhara is a museum-city: more than 140 architectural monuments of world significance constructed in different centuries, have been preserved in Bukhara up to date.

Its ancient walls store the memories of 25 centuries' history, the rain of various rulers both successful and unsuccessful.

This unique Bukhara has been restored once again into a fertile oasis and scientific and cultural center on the Great Silk Road.

Trade cupolas constructed during 15th-16th centuries ― Toki-Sarrafon (cupola of moneychangers), Toki-Telpak-Furushon (cupola of headdress sellers), Toki-Zargaron (cupola of jewelers) ― are a good testimony of Bukhara location just on the caravan crossroads.

Many scientists and philosophers were from Bukhara.

It was here that the great Sheikh Bohouddin Nakshbandi lived. He was a central figure in the development of the mystical Sufi approach to philosophy, religion and Islam.

The scientific center for studying the heritage of Bohouddin Nakshbandi operates here.

The main part of Bukhara's center is a so called ``architectural area": many former madrassahs are located here including Madrassah Chor-Minor and citadel Ark, Madrassah Ulugbek and Kukeldash. Walking along the narrow and shady streets, one can reach Poi-Kalyan Square with the Kalyan Minaret in the center.

Built in 1127, even today it is known as the ``Great Minaret" with its ingenious engineering construction reaching 47 meters into the sky.

The numerous palaces, mosques, mausoleums and minarets are unsurpassed in their beauty making the ancient city of Bukhara unforgettable in its history and splendor.

Khiva

Khiva is included on the list of those sites of great value to mankind.

It is one of the ancient cities of Central Asia that saved its unique architecture formed in the last two centuries.

But the real age of Khiva goes deep into history breaking the time-borders of our epoch.

Khiva is like a fairy-tale town.

The capital of Khiva Khanate in the 17th century, it has still retained the exotic flavor of a medieval town which time has not destroyed.

There is a legend according to which Khiva was founded at the time when Shem the son of Noi found wealth here. People started to call this place Khivak derived from Khiva.

Khiva, the pearl of the Khorezm oasis, impresses one with its beauty.

A complete immersion into the past, concentrated and compressed into a comparatively small space enclosed by fortress walls ― this is Khiva.

Here you can listen to the sounds of past centuries: the shouts of traders, the negotiations of buyers, the noise of crafters' workshops, the calls for evening prayer.

In modern Samarqand, amongst a wealth of historical monuments, visitors constantly ``fall" from the past to the present. In Bukhara, they cross the streets of history from century to century, but in Khiva they are transported to the past ``forever" leaving behind the massive walls of the Ichan-Kala (a fortress within a town).

The Ichan-Kala surrounded by fortress walls with four gates facing in all four directions is center of the city.

Here you may walk through the narrow streets touching the roughness of the old walls, passing under arches of buildings into the cool shade of ancient trees.

Let us climb up to the Akshi-Bobo bastion used by guards to patrol and protect the city. From here the Ichan-Kala is clearly visible.

About 20 madrassahs (high-education schools) are preserved in Khiva. Madrassah Mukhammad Amin-khan is the biggest one. With remarkable peculiarity, it its coupled khujras (special cells) house students.

The Juma-Mosque is very beautiful.

The date of its construction still is clearly written on the entrance: 1778/82. The 210 columns supporting the roof are very old: from the 12-15th centuries.

These columns come from other ancient constructions.

The columns are admired because of their intricate ornamentation.

There are many wonderful buildings outside the walls of the ancient town.

The whole oasis of Khorezm is rich in memorials. Deep in the Karakum Desert, scientists found a large town, Kuzeli-Gyr, dating back 2500.

A canal flowed toward the town and a deep moat surrounded the fortress. As the water disappeared, life in the town died and today only sand dunes and the grief of past centuries remains.

There are so many madrassahs and mosques big and small located in the limited territory of the town that its is hard to believe while walking through the labyrinth of the oldest past of the town that a modern city churns with life just a few yards away.