Paykend
Paykend or Poykent (
Bukhara oasis
. The city consisted of a citadel, two settlements, and a rabod (suburb). Paykend is currently under consideration for inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Site description
According to the archaeological research, Poykent was founded as a small village in the 4th century B.C., and was later transformed into a fortress. During that period, it was a trade center, as the city connected Southern countries (Bactria, India, Iran) with Northern countries (Front of Ural, Coast of Volga, Northern Caucus). Poykent was one of the important military and trade centers of the Western borders of the
Great Silk Road
and joining with Poykent fortress have been founded first and second sites of ancient settlement. Hence the city Poykent was founded.
According to Chinese chronicles, this city was under the "An" (
Zoroastrian temples, a palace, and a mosque, built in the 9th century, and remnants of a tower were found in citadel. In the inner part of city were discovered defensive walls, a gate, roads, and the remains of [living] quarters (makhallas), while on the outside rabads (suburbs) of the city - there are pottery centers and caravanserais. According to the researcher, due to the inaccessibility of the lower flaw of Zarafshon River, the city ceased to exist in the middle of the 9th century.[2]
History
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (July 2010) |
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the
World Heritage
Tentative List on 18 January 2008, in the Cultural category.
Notes
2. https://journals.openedition.org/asiecentrale/pdf/1841
References
https://journals.openedition.org/asiecentrale/pdf/1841