Turkmenistan Uzbekistan & Karakalpakistan

The cities are the post-medieval city Abdullch Khan Kala, constructed in 1409; the medieval city Sultan Kala, begun in the 8^th Century and sacked by the Mongols in 1221; and the great city, with its citadel Erk Kala, and lower town, Gyaur Kala, occupied from the 6^th Century B.C. to sometime in 10/11^th Centuries A.D.

1. Erk Kala “Kala” means fortress

a) 6^th Century Persians conquered it and walled it

b) Alexander the Great & Macedonians also added walls to it

c) 2^nd Century added to the Parthian Empire (Nisa)

d) Sassanian Empire – 4th wall added

In each time period (a-d) additions were added to the same wall. Defence in the 1^st century under Alexander the Great and his son resulted in a wall 250 Km long, 3 metres high around the fortress. A second city of Margiana (Margush) in the 3^rd – 6^th Century A.D. was added to the Sassanian Empire and ruled by them. It is believed that Zoroaster, founder of the first monotheistic religion may have lived here in Margiana. Buddhism and Judiasm flourished here, plus Christianity was added about the 5^th Century A.D.

When the Arabs captured the city, they found a variety of religions and they, in turn, established Islam and mosques were added (the first of these in the centre of Gyaur Kala).

By the end of the 9^th Century the Samanid rulers of Bukhara established themselves as fully independent rulers of Khurasan. Toward the end of the 10^th Century, Mahmud of Ghazni, a Turkish slave established himself as ruler of Khurasan.

While the Ghaznavids were of significance as the first Turkish rulers of Khurasan, they were restricted to the eastern Islamic world. Their successors, the Seljuks were of world-wide significance. They established an empire that stretched from the Amu Darya to the Mediterranean.

Merv was established as the capital of the new empire and became one of the largest cities in the medieval Muslim world with a population of 50,000. The high point of the new Seljuk empire was the rule of Sultan Sanjar (1118 – 1157) Caravans stopped here, poets visited because of its intellectuality. It was a rich synthesis of all cultures; Shaman, Muslim, Macedonian, etc. etc. In spite of being well fortified it was invaded and conquered by Mongolian hordes. Cruel tax collectors killed anyone unable to pay his taxes. Gengus Khan’s son, Tuliha, and his army of 80,000 soldiers also destroyed an important dam nearby.

In the 14^th Century, Merv was incorporated into the empire of Timur (Tamurlane 1370-1405). During the reign of his successor, Shah Rukh (1408-1447) a new city was established at Merv. This city, is known today as Abdullah Khan Kala after a 16^th Century Uzbek governor. The Russian Centre of Tashkent was highly interested in studying these remains sponsored by the Ecologist Society led by the Russian scholar V.A. Zukovsky.

2. Sultan Kala

It would be easy to pass the first of the city sites, without really noticing it. All you see at first glance is a line of mud brick walls on the far side of a big dip, the original moat. It is the smallest of the three cities, occupying only some 44 hectares. The walls are rectangular in shape, but resemble corregated columns about two stories high with large circular corner towers above a solid base. These are open windows within the columns. An entrance between two walls is reached by climbing a rather steep hill. The second floor of the main courtyard has arrowhead-shaped windows (openings). Further excavations are uncertain as it would weaken the walls and it is already badly eroded by the elements. This fortress was also laid siege by the Mongols.

LEGEND: There was also a feudal castle nearby inhabited by boys/guys with an apple orchard in between. If any of them could throw an apple from one site to the other, he was entitled to marry any girl he chose. PROBLEM: The distance was approximately a quarter of a mile. It is not known whether slings were permissible.

There were Tamarisk bushes with purple and pink flowers growing along the roadsides. Their trunks and branches are utilized for fences.

Shortly after we boarded our bus and travelled less than half an hour a camel herd was spotted in the distance. The driver was requested to stop and everyone ran out to photograph them. It was exciting to walk among them as if we were herding them. Later, we drove to an unusual cemetery for Muslems and Jews. Two disciples of Mohammed are buried here – Gifari and Briade.

We passed a water system called Sardopa.

An old ice house of mud brick was still in evidence. Water was frozen in deep wells during the winter and then cut into huge squares, then preserved in these Ice Houses.

Ruins of a second city was observed to our right. Walls 20 metres wide belonging to the Parthian period from 3^rd Century to Sassanian. Mulberry trees were seen growing at the base of the walls. Ore and iron artefacts have been found in this area. To obtain the high heat required for smelting, pistachio wood was used.

Eventually our bus stopped at the base of a high hill for anyone wishing to climb to obtain a 360 degree panoramic view of all the fortresses and to study the depths of the cities one on top of the other.

Saw treasury inscription in gate at Shahriya Ark (“Royal Citadel”) as well as a 16^th Century mosque with a modern one in front of it.

Entering south Sultan Kala was the mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar who had the equivalent status as that of Alexander the Great. Turkish baths originated here. This mausoleum has a double dome (also seen in a Florence church today). This complex scheduled for restoration, an open-air cooking area for visitors and a small house for pilgrims. All around is a grove of saksaul bushes, long considered to be holy.

The bushes closest to the mausoleum are decorated with a mass of colourful rags and other votive offerings, including a tiny cradle, a form of intercession.

From the exterior three domes can be seen rising above the walls of the building. There are two lower domes over the prayer halls and a tall dome over the mausoleum.

The mausoleum is one of the best examples of an Islamic shrine in the Merv oasis. The square chamber of the mausoleum is covered with a dome resting on four arched corners alternating with niches, one of which contains a window. An inscription running round all four walls and written in floriate Kufic states that this mausoleum was built for Muhammad Ibn Zayd in the year 1112. One niche in the middle of a wall is scallop-scaped with 9 lobes and a stylised chain or plaited band in the centre.

Important ornamental brickmaking is done in this area. Much reconstruction and restoration taking place here.

Suksuood tree grows in this vicinity. It is so hard that it cannot be cut with an axe.

Many friendly children everywhere saying ‘hello’. Standing back, was a young man with a black goat with her day-old twin kids. Also in the crowd was an elderly gentleman, Berkely Aga, well-known because his photo was portrayed in the first edition of Lonely Planet: Central Asia. “Aga” is a term of respect. He claims to be a Mullah, that is, he prays for everyone.

Address of our superb guide:

Golubeva Yevgenia

Aga Handjayev Street

Mary 21/52

Turkmenistan (745-400)

In Mary, no school goes beyond 9^th grade (at expense of growth of Ashkabad city). Therefore there is no opportunity for job experience. Two years of university plus two years of practical work earns one only a diploma to practice in various fields of study,

eg : Engineering. Medical degrees require six years of university plus two years of internship. If at all possible parents are sending their children to Russia and elsewhere to obtain higher education, hopefully at state expense. Under the Russian regime, Technical and Specialty Trade Schools flourished with free admission. Since independence none exist.

Museum visit followed by lunch at Café Sahra.

Noticed a triple-trailer truck loaded with raw cotton. Also learned that cotton oil is commonly used for cooking.

At 14:35 left for jeweller’s house. At 14:58 our bus was stopped by two young dark-green uniformed policemen for some unknown reason.

JEWELLER’S HOUSE

It is common knowledge that any girl planning to marry should have 16 Kilos of jewellery! We were shown his 6-sided carved wooden boxes of various sizes which open easily. The 6 sides represent the 6 sons of August Hahn, who in turn each have 4 sons, giving him 24 grandsons. The circle on the top of the boxes represents the earth.

He proudly displayed the decorative silver horse trappings he had hand-tooled along with other pieces of necklaces and earrings.

From here to the local airport. Security checking was haphazard. The alert signal was an amusing musical sound. No boarding passes were issued. We sat outside where it was cooler. When the gate was opened, everyone rushed to the plane, even carrying oversize luggage. Overhead racks had no covers and were so shallow that Maria was unable to put her small bag up. Seats were well-worn, no trays, no reclining seats unless they were broken, nor any literature to look at. Preliminary instructions were given in Turkmeni and English. Meli called to us from a rear seat that when the plane lands and comes to a complete stop, we were to remain in our seats until the pilot walks through to the exit. This is strictly observed. However, during the flight, children were not buckled into seats. The two children behind us were lively and stood practically for the whole flight. We were served packets of fruit candy, then a choice of two drinks like “tang” or water with gas bubbles. Shortly after the steward rolled out a cart with bottles of beer and other liquor, snicker bars plus an assortment of goodies for sale.

The view of the area below revealed patches of agriculture interspersed with bare, arid land. When we disembarked in Ashkabad, our luggage was loaded into one van while we boarded another to drive directly to our hotel dining room as it was now 7:00 P.M.

We were served pizza appetizers almost immediately, along with the usual raw vegetable and greens. A hot vegetable soup was served in mini terrines. Entrée offered was a choice of scallops or chicken. Most of us chose the scallops. When mine arrived first, I exclaimed that they had smashed the scallops. Then it dawned on me that the scallops were really scallopini – four large slices of meat with a lemony sauce with a variety of steamed vegetables.

Everyone seemed pleasantly tired after a very full day. Agnes would probably not need her sleeping portion that Meli phoned ahead to order; which was delivered by the pharmacy at the airport terminal. Most of us visited the hotel shop to spend our last few manats before packing to leave again early in the morning.

I am deeply grateful to Barbara for unhesitantly offering to type my many pages of notes and sending them off. Many many, thanks! My dear friend Maria graciously offered two invaluable references that proved most useful – Lonely Planet edition of Central Asia and a booklet Ancient Merv compiled by Georgina Herrmann and Andrew Petersen.

My undying thanks to Bob who offered daily shoulder and back rubs from my “falling off/out” at the Abdulla-Khan Kala wall on our first visit to old Merv right up to the Show & Tell session at Barbara’s home on April 27 and thanks to Carol for allowing him to do so. And., my sincere thanks to all for your kind thoughts and good wishes when I was “physically challenged” at Samarkand.

Submitted by Mary Varga.