Afrasiyab

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

The ancient tell (mound) of pre-Mongol Samarkand, revealing layers of Sogdian, Arab, and Turkic Islamic civilization. Famous for its 7th-century Sogdian wall paintings discovered in the 1960s.

Historical Context

Samarkand was one of the great cities of the Silk Road. After the Arab arrival in 712 CE, it became a major Islamic center. The ancient settlement of Afrasiyab was abandoned after the Mongol destruction of 1220, and the Timurids built their new city to the south.