Turquoise Mountain
Encyclopedia
The Turquoise Mountain is the lost Afghan
capital of the Middle Ages. It was reputedly one of the greatest cities of its age, but was destroyed by Ögedei Khan
, son of Genghis Khan
, in the early 1220s and lost to history. It has been proposed that the magnificent Minaret of Jam
, in Shahrak District
, Ghor Province, is the only standing remains of the city. It is also believed that the ancient city was the home of a Judeo-Persian trading community, documented by inscriptions on tombstones found in the 1950s. The scholar Walter Fischel published an article reviewing the finds and establishing the connections of the Firuzkuh community with other Jewish communities in early Medieval Afghanistan.
in 2001, the Taliban's hold on ancient places was broken, leaving the Ghor Province open to pillagers. Therefore, after the invasion, hundreds of diggers flocked to the Minaret to uncover lost gold. There remains very little of the present city when visited by Rory Stewart
in 2002 (as much of it has been dug through), and many of the treasures that were in the city have now been sold in markets in Herat
, Kabul
and Teheran.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
capital of the Middle Ages. It was reputedly one of the greatest cities of its age, but was destroyed by Ögedei Khan
Ögedei Khan
Ögedei Khan, born Ögedei was the third son of Genghis Khan and second Great Khan of the Mongol Empire by succeeding his father...
, son of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
, in the early 1220s and lost to history. It has been proposed that the magnificent Minaret of Jam
Minaret of Jam
The Minaret of Jam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Afghanistan. It is located in the Shahrak District, Ghor Province, by the Hari River. The 65-metre high minaret, surrounded by mountains that reach up to 2400m, was built in the 1190s, entirely of baked-bricks...
, in Shahrak District
Shahrak District
Shahrak District is located in the central part of Ghor Province, Afghanistan. The population is 50,900. The district center is Dahan-e Falezak .-Architecture:Near the village of Jam stands the Minaret of Jam, a historic building....
, Ghor Province, is the only standing remains of the city. It is also believed that the ancient city was the home of a Judeo-Persian trading community, documented by inscriptions on tombstones found in the 1950s. The scholar Walter Fischel published an article reviewing the finds and establishing the connections of the Firuzkuh community with other Jewish communities in early Medieval Afghanistan.
New Discoveries
With the War in AfghanistanWar in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
in 2001, the Taliban's hold on ancient places was broken, leaving the Ghor Province open to pillagers. Therefore, after the invasion, hundreds of diggers flocked to the Minaret to uncover lost gold. There remains very little of the present city when visited by Rory Stewart
Rory Stewart
Roderick 'Rory' James Nugent Stewart OBE FRSL MP DUniv is a British academic, author, and Conservative politician. Since May 2010, he has been the Member of Parliament for Penrith and the Border, in the county of Cumbria, North West England.- Overview :Stewart was a senior coalition official in a...
in 2002 (as much of it has been dug through), and many of the treasures that were in the city have now been sold in markets in Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
, Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
and Teheran.