Silk Roads: Fergana-Syrdarya Corridor

The exact historical journeys of the Silk Roads on the territory of modern Uzbekistan and Central Asian countries were never static. Cities, towns, caravanserais and trade stations were gaining and losing importance in the different periods of time due to different internal and external factors. However, today we can identify several main sections of the most intensive trade activities on the Silk Roads that were taking place between major centers of urban cultural tradition. One of these sections is the Fergana-Syrdarya Corridor located along the modern countries of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. This corridor includes component parts situated on the territories of Tashkent, Fergana, Andijan and Namangan regions in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The Silk Roads: Fergana-Syrdarya Corridor is characterized by well-preserved cultural landscapes of oases and cities historically situated on the major rivers of the region, such as the rivers of Arys, Shu and Syrdarya, and now located in the middle of the desert, semi-desert and steppe natural landscapes. In Uzbekistan, the caravan routes between these historical areas were following Syrdarya River and were connected via river valleys and oases. 

UZ-01 Yunusobod Oqtepa

Yunusobod Oqtepa is an archaeological site located in the north-eastern part city of Tashkent and dated to the 5^th-8^th centuries AD and 11^th-12^th centuries AD. It contains the remains of a Medieval fortified country estate. It is important for understanding the emergence of Tashkent oasis in the 5^th-8^th centuries and its further role in Silk Roads.

UZ-02 Khazrati Imom Complex

Khazarati Imom Complex is an architectural complex located in the city of Tashkent and dated to the 10^th-11^th and 14^th-15^th centuries. It is associated with Abu Bakr Muhammad, a distinguished Islamic scholar and poet of the 10^th century. It represents the significant example of urban planning and construction techniques of this period of Central Asia.

UZ-03 Zayniddon Bobo Complex

Zayniddon Bobo Complex is an architectural monument located in the city of Tashkent and dated to the end of the 14^th century. It includes the cell of Sheikh Zayniddon dated to the 12^th century, still operating and providing scientific information on construction techniques of this period as well as representing living religious heritage site evolved in the result of exchange of ideas and beliefs along the Silk Roads.

UZ-04 Kukeldash Madrasa

Kukeldash Madrasah is an architectural monument located in the city of Tashkent and dated to the 16^th century. The monument is raised on a high pedestal, on ancient cultural layers. It is one of the largest preserved madrasas of 16^th century in Central Asia and reflects the exchange of ideas and beliefs along the Silk Roads.

UZ-05 Shaykh Khovandi Tokhur Complex

Shaykh Khovandi Tokhur Complex is an architectural complex located in the city of Tashkent and dated to the 14th century. It is constituted by the mausoleum of Shaykh Khovandi Tokhur, the Mausoleum of Kaldirgochbia, the Mausoleum of Yunus Khan and the 16^th – 18^th centuries necropolis, where prominent figures of Tashkent were buried. The complex has associative values related with the exchange of ideas and beliefs along the Silk Roads.

UZ-06 Chilonzor Oqtepa

Yunusobod Oqtepa is an archaeological site located in the south-western part city of Tashkent and dated to the 6^th-7^th centuries AD and 11^th -12^th centuries AD. It contains the remains of an early feudal castle with six independent building horizons, the earliest horizon represents the remain of the oldest Zoroastrian temple in the region.  Along with its contribution to the understanding of exchange of ideas and believes along the Silk Roads, the archaeological site is important for the understanding the emergence of Tashkent oasis in the 5^th-8^th centuries and its further role in Silk Roads.

UZ-07 Minguryuk Settlement

Minguryuk Settlement is an archaeological site located in the city of Tashkent and dated to the 1^st century BC and 11-12th centuries AD. It contains the remains of an early feudal castle with murals. The archaeological site is a distinctive example of Ancient and Medieval civil architecture within the historic urban landscape of Tashkent and Central Asia.

UZ-08 Shoshtepa Settlement

Shoshtepa Settlement is an archaeological site located in the southern part of the city of Tashkent and dated to the 6^th century BC – 16^th century AD. It contains the remains of a significant and one of the earliest settlements in Tashkent oasis, reflecting almost the entire history of life in the Chirchik Valley from the time of the first agricultural settlement to Timurid period. The archaeological site is a distinctive example of Ancient and Medieval urban planning of Tashkent and Central Asia.

UZ-09 Zangiota Complex

Zangiota Complex is an architectural complex located on the right bank of Chirchik river in Tashkent region dated to Timurid period. It is constituted by a quadrangular yard, a mazar, a mosque, a khalimkhona and a madrasa with khudzhras the latter was added in the 18^th-19^th centuries. The site is associate with Zangiata, Sufi leader from Yasawi order. The complex is a living pilgrimage site. The complex has associative values related with the exchange of ideas and beliefs along the Silk Roads.

UZ-10 Kaynar Sardoba

Kaynar Sardoba is the remains of a sardoba (water reservoir) located on the right bank of Ahangaran river in Tashkent region. The territory of the site also includes the remains of a caravanserai.  The sardoba has as circular reservoir for collecting and storing rain or river water, which usually arranged along caravan routes, which represents the human adaptation to the harsh climatic conditions along the Silk Roads.

UZ-11 Korkhona

Korkhona is archaeological, architectural, underground cave complex, settlement and cult site located in Tashkent region near Nakpaysay river.  These constructions associated with the religious rituals and cults, functioning from the 5^th to 18^th centuries. The complex is a unique construction which had not changed its functional purposes over the centuries: it served as a Zoroastrian temple, a Christian cave church and later was used by various cults. The site is contributing to the understanding of transfer of beliefs and religions along the Silk Roads.

UZ-12 Qanqa Settlement

Qanqa Settlement is an archaeological site located in Tashkent region and dated to the 4^th century BC – 13^th century AD. It contains the remains of one of the ancient and largest urban centres of Tashkent oasis that was the capital of Kangju state and the first capital of the Chach state mentioned in Ancient Greek and Arabic historic accounts. Qanqa was important Silk Roads hub and production center.

UZ-13 Shokhrukhiya Settlement

Shokhrukhiya settlement is an archaeological site located on the right bank of Syrdarya river in Tashkent region and dated to the 3^rd-4^th centuries AD – 18^th century AD. It contains the remains of the first major city of the Tashkent oasis (also known as Benaket) that controlled the crossing of Syrdarya river along the Silk Roads. As a vital political, economic and cultural center of the Silk Roads, it has such numerous trade structures and infrastructure as workshops, bazaars, mint, and ceremonial centers.  The ancient city is also associated with many prominent scholars, poets, calligraphers and artists, reflecting the exchange of ideas and beliefs along the Silk Roads.

UZ-14 Bibi Buvayda Mausoleum Complex

Bibi Buvayda Mausoleum Complex is an architectural complex located in Buvayda district of Fergana region. The complex is dated to the 15^th – 16^th centuries. And is constituted by a shrine and two tombs that are domed. The site is venerated by the local community that associate this complex was built by a commander Shah Jalil for his mother (Bibi Huvaydo) and his wife.  The complex reflects the architectural creativity of the Central Asian masters and construction techniques of this period represented by the development of new structural forms as vaulted ceilings of buildings.

UZ-15 Ancient Pop settlement

Ancient Pop or Balandtepa settlement is an archaeological site located on the right bank of Syrdarya River in Namangan. It contains the ruins of an ancient city of the 1^st-8^th centuries AD with necropolis with unique underground burial structures of the 5^th-8^th centuries. Pop played an important role in trade and economics for Fergana valley, connecting and interacting with its neighbouring regions due to its geographical position on the crossroads of the Silk Roads. The traces of caravan roads and infrastructural facilities are preserved at the site. 

UZ-16 Poshshoo Pirim Mausoleum Complex

Poshshoo Pirim Mausoleum Complex is an architectural complex dated to the 15^th-16^th centuries located in Buvayda district of Fergana region. Buvayda was an important trade hub of the Silk Roads during the Karakhanid, Temurid and Kokand periods. The complex is constituted by a mausoleum of the 15^th-16^th century with inscriptions of the wall, a cemetery of Mongol period and a tower, added in the 19^th century. The component important is important in terms of representations of living religious heritage emerged along the Silk Roads. 

UZ-17 Aksikent settlement

Akhsikent settlement is an archaeological site located on the right bank of the Syrdarya in the Turakurgan district of Namangan region. It was founded in the 3^rd-2^nd centuries BC and was abandoned after Mongol invasion in 1219.  It was the ancient city surrounded by fortification wall and contains numerous ruins of a bazaar, a cathedral mosque, a bath, craftsmen workshops, where Bulat or Damascus high-quality steel was produced and then distributed along the Silk Roads. According to historic sources, Akhsikent was an important trade hub along the Silk Roads connecting Sogd with Margilan and Uzgend, especially in the 11^th  - 13^th century, when the Silk Roads network in Fergana valley had overcome significant changes.

UZ-18 Khozha Magiz Memorial Complex

Khoja Maghiz Memorial Complex is an architectural monument dated to the first part of the 15^th-16^th centuries and located in Margilan city, Fergana region.  It is a unique Muslim mausoleum with unique architecture for Central Asia. Its unusual constructive solutions, including dome on a drum, forms and proportions as well as decorative elements, including carved reliefs with floral patterns, represents the exchange of constriction techniques along the Silk Roads. The component important is also important for the representations of living religious heritage emerged along the Silk Roads. 

UZ-19 Quva settlement

Quva settlement is an archaeological site located in Quva city of Fergana region. The settlement was fist mentioned in Chinese chronicles of the 7^th century under the name of Khumin and represented an important political, economic, cultural and religious center of the Fergana valley in the 1^st - 13^th centuries AD. The excavations conducted in the north part of the site uncovered the remains of a Buddhist temple and a sanctuary of the 7^th – 8^th centuries. It is an important evidence of Buddhist influence on Fergana valley before the Arab conquest. However, the numerus finds associated with Zoroastrism and Christianity confirms the multicultural and multireligious nature of this ancient city. The ancient city also has the remains of the complex planned fortification system sustained through the 6^th-12^th centuries.

UZ-20 Mingtepa settlement

Mingtepa settlement is located along Aravan river, Andijan Region. Dated to the 4^th -3^rd centuries BC and 4^th -5^th centuries AD, it was a capital of Fergana and a trade center connected to Kashgar known as the city of Ershi. The archaeological site, which preserves the remains of one of the ten largest settlements of Central Asia, reflects the urban development history of this region. It has the remains of a powerful fortification system constituted by internal and external wall, gates and bastions built in the 2^nd century BC as well as several other infrastructure structures for trade and goods production.

UZ-21 Zhingirtepa

Zhingirtepa is an archaeological site located in the valley of Aravan River, Andijan Region. It is dated to the 2^nd century BC – 4 century AD and represents a defensive structure served for the city of Ershi (Mingtepa). It was used not only to improve the defence of the city, but also as a communication point, ensuring the safety of commercial caravans along the Silk Roads.

UZ-22 Karavultepa

Karavultepa is an archaeological site located in the valley of Aravan River, Andijan Region. It is dated to the 2^nd century BC – 4 century AD and represents a defensive structure served for the city of Ershi (Mingtepa). It was used not only to improve the defence of the city, but also as a communication point, ensuring the safety of commercial caravans along the Silk Roads.

UZ-23 Bilovurtepa

Bilovurtepa is located on a high hill on the left bank of the river. Ak-Buura, on the outskirts of the villages. Turabad, Khojabad district, Andijan region. In plan, the settlement has a trapezoidal shape with a high hill of the citadel in the northern part. The citadel of Bilavur resembles the early medieval castles of Khorezm, and the monumental building is the prototype of donjons - especially fortified parts of the early medieval castles that served as a refuge. The materials obtained at the settlement of Bilovur allow us to pose the problem of the genesis of one of the leading types of settlements in Fergana in the early medieval period. Bilovurtepa appears as a heavily fortified settlement, which was part of the defensive system of the Ancient Osh oasis, which protected the approaches to the capital city of Ferghana-Markhamat.

UZ-24 Zindontepa settlement

Archaeological monument in the district of ancient Kuva on the way from Kuva to Osh. It dates from the 1st-12th centuries AD. Surrounded on all sides by a modern cemetery on the territory of which archaeological objects are found. Possibly, in ancient times it was not a big town, where trade exchanges with pastoralists who lived in the adjacent adyr zone took place.

UZ-25 Sariqurgon settlement

Archaeological site of the 5th-7th centuries AD In the upper layers there is ceramics from the time of the Kokand Khanate. The results of archaeological research have established that this is a fortress from which water intakes were monitored at the outlet of the Sokh River to the plain. The walls of the fortress have survived to the level of the second floor.

UZ-26 Muyi Muborak

Archaeological site. The remains of the castle on the stylobate of the 7th-8th centuries near Kokand. There was not a big district around it. The monument is covered by a multi-layered modern cemetery.

UZ-27 Mugtepa

The ruins of ancient Kasan located at the northern end of the modern city. The settlement of Kasan consists of two distinct complexes of ruins: the city (Mugtepa) and the "castle" (Mugkal'a). The city is extremely small. The perimeter of its walls is 600 m. In plan, this ancient settlement looks like a trapezoid. The southern wall - the base of the trapezoid is 160 m, the western and eastern - 180 m, the northern - 80 m. The walls are broken, fortified at the corners with protruding turrets. Kasan - the city-headquarters, the camp-fortress arose at the turn on the site of an old (early) settlement. The defense capability of the city of Kasana in the IV-V centuries. and somewhere in the V-VI centuries. increased by building additional walls. In the IX-XI centuries. Kasan loses its former functions, i.e. the fortress city was abandoned at that time. In the second half of the XII century. Kasan becomes the capital-headquarters of the specific principality of the Karakhanid state.

UZ-28 Qirkr Khuzhra

Chilhujra (Kirkhujra, Chillamozortepa, Garkiz) - The settlement of Chilhujra is located 2 km south of the city of Pap near the village of Kelachi in the Pap district of Namangan region, on the northern bank of the Syrdarya River. This site is located in the delta of the Gavasay River, which is the right tributary of the Syrdarya. Archaeological materials show that in the 5th c. BC. on the site of the settlement Kyrkhujra (Chilhujra) above the above-mentioned mudflow deposits, a city is being built with an area of about 10 hectares, which functioned until the 5th century AD. Now only about 5 hectares have survived from it. The ancient settlement of Kyrkhujra (Chilhujra), today is the only well-preserved monument of the Eilatan-Aktam culture of ancient Fergana. It is especially important that, as studies have shown, the settlement at the earliest stage of its existence in the 5th century. BC. in its structure it has all the elements characteristic of an ancient city: a fortified citadel (Chilhujra I) and Shahristan (Chilhujra II, Chilhujra III).