Archaeological Sites in Uzbekistan - Samarkand, Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex, Khiva, Kai Khosrow, Shahrisabz, Afrasiab (Paperback)

Chapters: Samarkand, Bactria-margiana Archaeological Complex, Khiva, Kai Khosrow, Shahrisabz, Afrasiab, Koi Krylgan Kala, Orlat Plaques, Itchan Kala, Brichmulla, Khalchayan, Afrasiyab, Ancient Pap. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 56. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Samarkand (Uzbek: Persian: Russian: literally "Stone Fort" or "Rock Town," in Sogdian) is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. The city is most noted for its central position on the Silk Road between China and the West, and for being an Islamic centre for scholarly study. In the 14th century, it became the capital of the empire of Timur (Tamerlane), and is the site of his mausoleum (the Gur-e Amir). The Bibi-Khanym Mosque remains one of the city's most famous landmarks. The Registan was the ancient centre of the city. In 2001, UNESCO added the 2,750-year-old city to its World Heritage List as Samarkand Crossroads of Cultures. Samarkand derives its name from the Old Persian asmara, "stone," "rock," and Sogdian qand, "fort," "town." In 1939 Samarkand had a population of 134,346, and in 2008 an urban population of 596,300, mostly Persian-speaking Tajiks. Along with Bukhara, Samarkand is one of the historical centers of the Tajik people in Central Asia. Samarkand is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, prospering from its location on the trade route between China and the Mediterranean (Silk Road). At times Samarkand has been one of the greatest cities of Central Asia. Founded circa 700 BC by the Persians, Samarkand has been one of the main centres of Persian civilization from its early days. It was already the capital of the Sogdian satrapy under the Achaemenid dynasty of Persia when Alexander the Great conquered it in 329 BC. The Greeks referred to Samarkand as M...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=51491