Ancient sites of Uzbekistan

Kampyr-Tepe, in southern Uzbekistan, was built at the time of Alexander the Great's empire and occupied for about 500 years until it fell into decline.

Since it was discovered, a generation ago, it has been closed to the public because it stands in a sensitive and tightly guarded military zone, right on the Afghan border.

And it would seem quite well-protected, as a result:

The small houses were in the nearest part of the city. Square rooms opened on to a grid of narrow passages, criss-crossing to make streets. Stacks of pots and plates sat outside, as though the people of Kampyr-Tepe had left the washing up one evening after dinner. Great round platters and bowls, made of the same ochre dust as the plain.

At first we were amazed. Why had they not been taken off to some museum? Dated, labelled... or stolen even? But the more we looked, we realised there were just so many, they were ordinary, just part of the land. . .

The deep south of Central Asia has a feel all its own. . .

It wears its past casually. Kampyr-Tepe is just one of its treasures. There are sights here, in this quiet and private place, that almost anywhere in the world would have bus-loads of visitors trooping to and fro, buying souvenirs and cups of tea.

"You see that big pit there," said an old farmer, Hamrah Baba, living on the plains to the north of Kampyr-Tepe. "When I was a boy, we used to lower each other down there in turns, hanging on a rope. We did not think it was special. Then, these men came from Tashkent and found all sorts of things. They found gold and those chessmen."

The gold was 35kg of solid gold jewellery, set with turquoises. The chess pieces may be the oldest on earth. The pit where Hamrah Baba once played is in the citadel of Dalverzin-Tepe. Capital of the Kushan empire, it was one of the richest on the planet.

From the BBC, spotted thanks to Nathan Hamm of The Argus (your source for matters Central Asian).

Posted by David on April 22, 2004 9:12 AM