Where can other soil in earth that can be the one of the oldest cenÂters of human civilization, art & cultures? the answer is Central Asia as proved by numerous relics.
Nia S. Amira
[email protected]
I still can figure the oldest soil of that anÂcient Great Silk Road when standing firmly at the previous center of Caravan from all CenÂtral Asia countries and Middle East gathered exchanging theirs finest silk and rugs with spices from India even from South East Asia, specifically from Indonesia.
The smell of the 14th century soil brought my wild ideas to trace all the hidden stories in each land in Central Asia going in one diÂrection to Persia, Turkey, even to India and Indonesia. What made Ikat fabrics in LomÂbok having very similar motifs, colors, and name with the ones in Uzbekistan.
When talking about Central Asia, you alÂways need to include the important role of Uzbekistan as the country in the middle posiÂtion of Central Asia. Its territory of present day Uzbekistan was the crossroads of Eurasia and connected Europe and China, passing through the oasis settlements of Kokand, SaÂmarkand and Bukhara well-known as SogdiÂana region.
Samarkand history is one of the most ancient in the world. In Samarkand region archeologists have discovered an area where primitive men lived more than 10,000 years ago. Traces of primitive men have also been found near Tashkent, in Khoresm and in the Kara-Kalpak region. Central Asia provides very rich history in human civilization.
From 800 B.C. Central Asia witnessed the rise and fall of the various ancient states inÂcluding Bactria, Sogdiana and Khorezm, the state of the Achaemenids, Alexander the Great in Greece, (Selivkids) Greco-Bactrian, Parthian and Kushan KingÂdoms. The Periods of economic upsurge exÂperienced by the people living on the terriÂtory of present day.
In the 6th century B.C. Central Asia was conquered by Cyrus, founder of the Persian Empire. In 330 B.C. the Persian Empire was destroyed by Alexander the Great.
Alexander the Great was the first world conqueror and one of the most remarkable men in history. The son of Philip Macedon, tsar, an excellent general and organizer AlÂexander brought Greek ideas and the Greek way of doing things to all the countries that he conquered. He was born in 356 and died in 323 B.C. His mother, Olimpias, princess of Epirus, was brilliant and hot-tempered. AlexÂander inherited the best qualities of both his parents.
Alexander the Great was an ambitious emperor. He succeded conquering Persia after crossing Hellespont (Dardanella) in one day in Spring 336 B.C. This victory opened the road to Asia Minor. Before the summer of 327 he had once more crossed the Hindu- Kush Mountains on his way to India. It was the beginning of the crash of Alexander’s Army. Alexander left some of his soldiers in Middle Asia and because of this as the legÂend says some Uzbek people appeared with green eyes and blond hair. Greek roots are still present in Uzbek culture.
Ismail Samanid is the representative of the Eastern dynasty that ruled in 819-999 over the vast territory of Mavara-Un-Nahr (the Arabic name of the territory between the Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya rivers in CenÂtral Asia since the 7th century A.D). Ismail Samanid reigned from 892 till 907. It was the person who erected this marvelous MauÂsoleum in Noble Bukhara over his father’s grave.
The collapse of the Arab Caliphate led to the resurrection of the indepenÂdent statehoods in Central Asia. Between the 9th and 15th centuries a succession of the large independent feudal states replaced in Central Asia: the monarchies of Samanids, Seljuks, Khorezmshah and Timurlane (or TaÂmerlane) Empire. The rule of the Samanids was marked by a great upsurge in economy and culture in Khorosan and Mavara-Un- Nahr. Under the Khorezm Shahs the counÂtry’s economy, science and culture continÂued to develop.
Amir timur in history of uzbekistanTimur (Timurlane or Tamerlane) was born in the village of Khodja-Ilgar, near Shahrisabs. He was the son of Emir Taragay, who was from Barlos tribes. Since his teenager hoodTimur knew much about military training and took part in civil wars. He was promoted in the period of invasion to Mavar-Un-Nahr.
Ulugbek (Muhammad Taragai) was born in 1394 in Sultania. His father was great Timur’s son Shahruh, his mother was Gavharshodbegim, the grand daughter of the Naiman’spadishahKutlugkhan. His grandÂmother Saraimulkhanum brought up UlugÂbek.When he was 15 years old he became the ruler of Samarkand. When he was 17 he became the ruler of Mavara-Un-Nahr and he ruled the state for 40 years.
Really it was very difficult for him to comÂbine the state affairs with science and UlugÂbek realized it only after his defeat by BaraÂkhan. He tried to send human ideas to the stars and to get the new knowledge from so long distance. He compiled the catalogue of stars, which is very popular even today. Samarkand became the center of art and science. Mavara-Un-Nahr became powerful and strong. HisÂtorians of Ulugbek’s time w ro t e that Ulugbek had been beheaded by his own son’s decree at a spot some ten or twelve miles from Samarkand.
Bobur, Zahir-Iddin (1483-1530) founder of the great Mogul dynasty in India, was a BarÂlos Turk descended on the male side from Timur and on the female side from Chagatai Khan (son of Genghis Khan). In 1494 at the age of eleven, he succeeded his father, Sultan Mirza. As a ruler Bobur’s creative work and state activity played a very important role in unification the cultures of Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan and India.
