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159 UZBEKISTAN The domination of urban culture is one of the dening features of the medieval civilisation in the Central Asian Interuve. As this territory was one of the most urbanised in the whole Middle East, over two hundred towns were functioning there at that time. The starting point of the historical period under study is associated with the time of intense civilisational work in the 9 th -10 th centuries, when the peoples of Central Asia, integrating into the Islamic world, brought their cultural principles into it. The concluding phase (14 th -15 th centuries) coincides with the rise of the Timurid architecture. Although the historical and political processes in this region were quite complex, these seven centuries were the period when the Central Asian Islamic architectural traditions were established and developed on the basis of the heritage of the pre-Arabic time. A large number of architectural monuments of the 9 th -15 th centuries, which have been preserved in the Uzbek land, did not only become an integral part of the Central Asian cultural landscape, but have also turned into its basic symbols. They are regarded as the civilisation’s important value of, not only locally, but also globally, and are deeply revered throughout the Muslim world. The central architectural complexes of Samarkand, Bukhara and Shakhrisabz, which have survived through centuries and have been included now in the UNESCO World Heritage List, were formed in this very period. The areas of medieval Sogd, Ustrushana, Khorezm, Tokharistan, and Fergana constitute a common cultural domain, which allows us to unite them in this article under the general name of Maverannahr 1 within the borders of contemporary Uzbekistan. Considering the genesis of architectural tradition it would be logical to identify the transitional period of the 7 th -8 th centuries, the early medieval period of the 9 th -10 th centuries, the classical (pre-Mongol) period of the 11 th -early 13 th centuries, the Chagatay (Mongol) period (1220-1370) and the Timurid period (1370–1500) 2 .1. THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD OF THE EARLY MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE (7 TH -8 TH CENTURIES) The period before the Arab invasion (7 th -early 8 th centuries) is a time of the rise of the pre-Islamic architecture of towns, feudal castles (kyoshk) and temples in Central Asia. Having defeated the Sassanids in the mid-7 th century, the Arabs then settled in Merv and made only occasional forays into Maverannahr. Therefore, up to the early 8th century the Central Asian Interuve remained independent from the Islamic world. At the same time, town building and monumental architecture had developed a strong economic base of transcontinental trade along the Great Silk Road and the Indian caravan route. It was maintained by Sogdian trading houses and colonies located along caravan routes and by the nominal dependence of Sogdian principalities from China. At that time monoliths of rammed clay characteristic of the ancient eastern architecture predominated in construction. That was how defensive walls put on the high platforms of the 1 Maverannahr – Arabic ‘that, which is beyond the river’, that is, beyond the Amudarya. Geographically only the right-bank part belongs to Khorezm. 2 Conveniently, 1220 is the year of Genghis-khan’s invasion into Maverannahr, 1370 is the rst year of Tamerlane’s rule, 1500 is the time when the Timurids lost the key historic towns of Maverannahr – Bukhara and Samarkand, captured by Sheybani-khan. 160 The Artistic Culture of Central Asia and Azerbaijan in the 9 th –15 th centuries • Architecture Reconstruction of the plan of Bukhara in 9-10th centuries. (by A. Bolshakov; corrected by E. Davidovich): 1 - Ark (citadel), 2 - shahristan, 3 - Registan, 4 - rabad.Plan of Samarkand of 9-10 th centuries.: 1 - preserved sections of the wall, 2 - the likely direction of Devori-Kiyomat, 3 - southern border rabad, 4 - estimated for channels, 5 - streets, 6 - road. The numbers in circles: 1 - Afshin gates, 2 - Kuhak, 3 - Fenek, 4 - Faruhshid, 5 - Gadavad, 6 - Isbisk, 7 - Suhashin, 8 - Mazar Abdi Darun, 9 - Mazar Abdi Biruni. 161 Uzbekistan Mausoleum of the Samanids. Late 9- early 10 th century. Bukhara.Magoki Attari. 12 th century. Bukhara. 162 The Artistic Culture of Central Asia and Azerbaijan in the 9 th –15 th centuries • Architecture Kalyan Minaret. 12 th century. Bukhara.Chashma Ayub. 14 th century. Bukhara. 163 Uzbekistan Vabkent minaret. Late 12 th century. Bukhara province.Deggaron mosque. 11 th century. Bukhara province.
