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Tajikistan

Today, September 18, 2022 we leave by bus to the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border, Jarteppa border crossing, where we have to pull our own luggage between the two countries approximately 3/4 a mile over a poorly paved single lane road. No photos allowed between countries. Once across the border and into Tajikistan we first visit the ancient ruins of Sarazm settlement. Sarazm was the first city in Central Asia to maintain economic relations with a network of settlements covering a vast territory from the Turkmenistan steppes and the Aral sea. Here we see some of the ruins of the ancient civilization.

Tajikistan is bordered by Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to the north. Afghanistan to the south and China to the east. The ruins of Sarazm founded around 3500 BC is most likely the oldest city in Central Asia. The people here became adept at agriculture and producing goods for trade, so it became an important an wealthy center in the region.

Among the many structures that were excavated, the majority appear to be multi-rooms habitations, but some seem to have a different purpose and serve as communal buildings.Those buildings seem to be well thought out with clear plans, regular bricks with walls that are sometimes covered in colored coating, however their functions remain unclear.

Princess of Sarazm - inside the museum in a few photos you will see the actual bones of the Princess of Sarazm.

Burial sites were in the shape of a large circle 45 feet diameter surrounded by a wall. . In some of the burial chambers, valuables objects such as pottery and beads have been found.

At the peak of the occupation of Sarazm, the city was economically thriving and artistic production flourished. Pottery was richly ornamented with motifs such as circles, crosses, triangles, lines and net pattern painted using red, yellow and blue pigments. The rosette patterns found on some ceramic could be indicative of an understanding of the solar calendar.

Terracotta statuettes of women and animals with magical powers were also found as sculptural figures emerged as an important artistic trend. The religious beliefs of the Sarazm people are unclear, but we know that they had altars where sacred fires burned.

What the people of the time would have looked like. The inhabitants of Sarazm were occupied not only with agriculture and herding but also with metallurgical production. A large metal repertoire has been unearthed from the II, III and IV layers dug up by archeologists: daggers, awls, chisels, axes and decorative pieces were among the discoveries. There is ample evidence that the metal was actually worked in Sarazm using similar techniques as the ones used in Mesopotamia, the Iranian Plateau and the Indus Valley. Some have even claimed that around 3000 BC, it was the largest exporting metallurgical center of Central Asia.

Here you can see the ‘Lady of Sarazm’, the skeleton of a woman who was buried in the 4th century BC and covered with colorful lapis beads and seashell bracelets. Her body and the jewellery has been moved and recreated here.

What life might have been like re created on the wall inside the museum. Panjikent mural 6th-7th century AD.

We find a bride and groom having their photos taken at the site. Just like Uzbekistan marriages in Tajikistan are 95% arranged by the families.

We arrive at the ancient town ruins of Penjakent above the present city of Penjikent. Ancient Panjakent was a small but flourishing town of the Sogdians in pre-Islamic Central Asia. It was known as Panchekanth. It means five towns or villages in Persian.

Two workers rebuilding the ruins in the ancient town part of Penjakent.

Overlooking the newer town of Penjikent from the ancient city.

Looking out across the valley, is the present day town of Penjikent stretching out below in the horizon. It was the last stop for caravans heading east from Samarkand, Uzbekistan to stock up before they hit the mountains – or, conversely, the first chance to rest for those that had just made the arduous trek across the peaks. In the distance is the the road that traces the path of the river.

Panjakent was an important Silk Road city, even if it wasn’t a particularly large one.

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