Ahsiket
Encyclopedia
A site of ancient settlement, Ahsiket is located on the right branch of the Sirdarya River
in the Turakargan district of the Namangan
region of Uzbekistan
. It is currently under consideration for inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
. It was the only place in Central Asia where very high-quality steel - known as Damascus or Damask steel - has been produced. At Ahsiket there was discovered a bath constructed in the 2nd century A.D. After the Mongolian invasion, new Ahsiket arose 5–6 km to the west of the ancient city. According to historical data, the known poet and historian - Bobur, grandson of Amir Temur
, was governor.
World Heritage Tentative List on 18/01/08, in the Cultural category.
Syr Darya
The Syr Darya , also transliterated Syrdarya or Sirdaryo, is a river in Central Asia, sometimes known as the Jaxartes or Yaxartes from its Ancient Greek name . The Greek name is derived from Old Persian, Yakhsha Arta , a reference to the color of the river's water...
in the Turakargan district of the Namangan
Namangan
Namangan is the third-largest city in Uzbekistan . It is the capital of Namangan Province, in the northern edge of Fergana Valley of north-eastern Uzbekistan.-Geography:...
region of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
. It is currently under consideration for inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Site Description
Ahsiket occupies an of more than 25 hectares. The city was founded between the 3rd - 2nd centuries B.C., and functioned up to 1219 A.D. It has been completely destroyed by Mongolian forces. The city structure consisted of the citadel, Shakhristan - the city itself and the rabad (suburb) of the city. All three parts of the city have been enclosed by the fortification. The palace of governors and zindan (prison) were situated in the arc. There was a city market, cathedral mosque, and a khouz, erected from baked brick in Shakhristan. The craftsmen's area was located in the rabad. Metallurgical production in Ahsiket was known far beyond Central AsiaCentral Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. It was the only place in Central Asia where very high-quality steel - known as Damascus or Damask steel - has been produced. At Ahsiket there was discovered a bath constructed in the 2nd century A.D. After the Mongolian invasion, new Ahsiket arose 5–6 km to the west of the ancient city. According to historical data, the known poet and historian - Bobur, grandson of Amir Temur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
, was governor.
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Tentative List on 18/01/08, in the Cultural category.