Silk Roads Sites in Kyrgyzstan
National Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic for UNESCO
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Property names are listed in the language in which they have been submitted by the State Party
Description
No. |
Name of property |
State, Province or Region |
Area (ha) |
Geographic (lat/long) or UTM Coordinates of approximate centre point |
1 |
Nomadic Monuments of Inner Tien Shan |
Kyrgyzstan, Inner Tien Shan, Naryn oblast |
Koshoi- Korgon- 55,6 Tash-Rabat-28,5 Manakeldy-31,8 Shyrdakbek - 38,3 |
Koshoi- Korgon- 41" 7' 24, 83 N 75" 41' 59, 63 E Tash-Rabat 40"49'21, 91N 75"17'20, 74 Manakeldy, Shyrdakbek 41"4'34,45N 74"15'47,76W Kochkor 42" 09' 45.8N 75" 50' 19.9E
|
2 |
Sites of the southern Issyk Kul |
Kyrgyzstan, Issyk Kul oblast |
Barskoon-6,7 Tosor- 9 Khan Dobo- 30 |
Barskoon 44" 50' 00.2 N 78" 22' 26.9 E
|
3 |
Medieval sites in the Upper Chui Valley: Navikat (Krasnaya Rechka), Suyab (Ak Beshim) and Balasagyn (Burana) |
Kyrgyzstan, Chui oblast |
Krasnaya Rechka - 450 Ak Beshim -150 Burana -130 |
UTM zone 43T. E05..... N47..... Krasnaya Rechka E : 01233.000 N : 51075.000, H: 745.000 Ak Beshim E: 16629.000 N: 38855.000, H: 815.000 Burana E: 20493.908 N: 32720.877, H: 940.966 |
4 |
Cultural Environment of Manas Ordo |
Kyrgyzstan, Talas oblast |
225 |
Karool Choku 42" 31' 94 N 72" 23'07 Е |
5 |
Cultural Landscape of Safid Bulan |
Kyrgyzstan, Djalal Abat oblast |
266,5 |
Shakh Fazil mausoleum 41" 27' 56 N 71" 37' 08 O |
6 |
Uzgen and Shorobashat sites |
Kyrgyzstan, Osh oblast |
Uzgen-72,5 Shorobashat -70 |
Uzgen site 40" 45' 27 N 73" 19' 31 O |
Kyrgyzstan is one of the countries occupying a zone of early contacts. In the south and in the north of the country Silk Road is represented by various sections which are well expressed and marked by important monuments of history and culture.
Northern (Fergana) road which was actively used in early Han times, especially with Davan, had special value in antiquity. Considerable part of this road passed within modern administrative borders of southern Kyrgyzstan occupying foothill areas of east, southeast, southwest and northwest of Fergana. The direction looked as follows: from Kashgar through Terek-Davan pass, to Alay valley, along Gulcha river and its inflows, went to Tar, then to Kara-Darya river, and to Uzgen city (where the most eastern city of Davan - Ju-chen is usually localised), then turned to the Osh oasis, and then went to the West (to capital Ershi) and to the North Kanguy. It is considered, that Zhang Qian passed this road in 138 BC. This part of the road is well marked by different sites, especially for Muslim time when it was described in guidebooks as a transit corridor with two branches: i) through Osh - Medva (Mady) to the south in Alai valley and further through Terek-Davan to Kashgar; ii) from Osh to Uzgen, further through mountain passes, to the valleys of inner Tien-Shan and then split near At-Bashi, in two branches, first went through Tash-Rabat and Torugart passes to Kashgar, and the second - to the southern coast of Issyk Kul, through Bedel pass to Aksuu. Local parts of this route served other areas of Fergana, in particular, the northeast of the valley, where through Chanach pass (Chatkal ridge) and Kara Buura pass (Talas Ala-Too) connected with routes across northeastern territories. It is considered, that these passages were already known in antiquity, by virtue of which intensive contacts of Hans with Semirechie, particularly, with Chui and Talas valleys, Issyk Kul took place.
In II-IV centuries AD the road through Bedel pass and southern Issyk Kul was already in regular use. It became very active in the early Middle Ages when due to the civil strife in Fergana, caravans began to prefer this way to Fergana branch. Besides, the important factor in favor of this way was the location in Semirechie of quarters of Turkic kagans, main consumers of the various prestigious goods, who patronised trade on the Central Asian part of the Silk Road. Variety of medieval sites of ancient settlements of Issyk Kul region, Chui and Talas valleys is connected with this epoch, where the Silk Road played important role in genesis and functioning. During Muslim time the whole territory of Kyrgyzstan was practically pierced by various parts of separate branches of the Silk Road. In the north of the country the Semirechensko-South Kazakhstan piece was still actively operating, Inner Tien Shan was involved in the Silk Road, functioning of the Fergana branch was not less intensive. Thus, for Kyrgyzstan these parts of the Silk Road, representing also three chronological periods (antiquity, early to late Middle Ages) were in priority. Political, military and economic events of XIII centuries AD considerably reduced functioning of the above described parts of the Silk Road, a certain revival came in connection with Timur's and his descendants' political and military activities. However use of routes on various parts of the Silk Road continued till modern age.
Proposed 6 series will make the first stage of the nomination process; Silk Road sites of high-mountainous Alai, Chon - Alai, Chatkal valley, and Southwestern Fergana will be nominated at a later stage.
5. Name of Silk Roads component: Cultural Landscape of Safid Bulan |
Brief description of the component: The sites making these series, are located on the northeastern end of Safid-Bulan village (Ak-Korgon administration of Ala-Buka district of Djalal-Abad oblast), on the border with the Namangan area of Uzbekistan, at the foot of Archa-Mazar mountain. These sites are connected with the branch of the Silk Road serving the northeast of Fergana in antiquity and the Middle Ages; includes sacral complex consisting of constructions of various chronological periods standing on a medieval Mazar site, natural sacral components and rich intangible heritage in the form of legends, rituals and practice of sacrifices. Historically these monuments are connected with the time of distribution of Islam to the northeast of Fergana valley where it entrenched in IX-X centuries. Existing ancient sanctuary was adapted for new religion. The first mentioning of this Mazar was made by Djamal Karshi in the end of XIII century, who spoke about two tombs. The central complex is protected by a wall with a main entrance from village street. The mausoleum of Shah-Fazil occupies its southeastern corner. It is a dome centered building with the corners oriented to the cardinal points, with rich carved ganch interior, which includes wide strips of epigraphics. Adobe mausoleums of XVIII-XIX centuries AD with a traditional name of Safid-Bulan and Keldekhana (Kellahana) were erected on a place of earlier structures. In the northeastern corner of a court yard, near Shah-Fazil a phallic shaped stone so-called "fertility stone" or Tash-Mazar is located. Gravestones - sagona, are connected by local people with characters of the legendary events which entailed emrgence of this complex, i.e. with Shah Fazil, son of the Arabian military leader who falled in batle here, girl-servant Bulan who collected, washed and buried heads of 2700 soldiers-martyrs. The collection of gravestones - kairaks from the medieval necropolis, containing valuable information on a composition and a religious status of the buried is presented here. To the north from this Mazar complex there are: new mosque constructed on a place of old, hauz and small constructions, making a service infrastructure for pilgrims. There is one more complex (closer to the floodplain terrace of Chanach-Sai river), which centre is ruins of the Kyrgyn-mosque standing at Mazar on a place of burial of 2700 soldiers. To the southeast, on a slope of Archa-Mazar, there is one more adobe construction attributed to a standard-bearer of Arabs. Natural components are : sacred trees, a stone plate, a path on Archa-Mazar slope, considered to provide longevity, the mountain, abovementioned "fertility stone". Intangible heritage makes a whole cycle of legends connected with occurrence of sacral functions of this place, rituals and practice of sacrifices which along with Islamic traditions of honouring Mazar, contain also elements of archaic cults. Preservation of Ethnic, language and cultural variety are remarkable in this district, with prevailing Turkic language component - Kyrgyz and Uzbek, the Tadjik community which has not lost ethnic identification lives here. Families - descendants of sheikhs who remember traditions of teaching of this profession and ethics of behaviour in similar places have remained too. |
Statement of authenticity and/or integrity of the individual component : Part of components of this complex - the Mazar site, the mausoleum of Shah-Fazil, etc. are in the State list of monuments of national importance. Local administrations are in charge of legal and physical protection at the local level, Agency for Culture on national level, but basically the local community which established "Safid-Bulan" fund is in charge of day-to-day maintenance. The order of the Government of the KR on establishment of a national historical and cultural museum complex is being prepared. Restoration works with considerable breaks took place from the end of 1970s years to the beginning of this century. Safid-Bulan and Keldekana mausoleums are in satisfactory condition. Dome and ganch decoration of the interior of Shah-Fazil mausoleum needs in restoration. However, the overall condition is stable, without deterioration. There are projects for restoration of the main mausoleum and other structures of the complex, for protective zoning which will be developed within the framework of the new National Program on Cultural Heritage Preservation. |
Comparison of the Silk Roads component with other similar properties, whether on the Silk Roads or not, and the reasons that make the property stand out: Unlike the branch of the Silk Road across East and Southeast Fergana, the branch where Safid-Bulan is located was functioning actively only during Middle Ages. At this particular time the political and cultural centres of the valley moved to the north, and new settlements were established. As a cult site, it can be compared to other mazars of Fergana which are composed of man-made and natural components, however, two elements, so-called "fertility stone" and the mausoleum of Shah-Fazil differ it from them. Shah-Fazil mausoleum is known of its monumental epigraphics which exact analogies are not present in Central Asian stucco decoration of XI-XII centuries AD. Comparison of style of inscriptions is possible only with some monuments, in particular, with mausoleums of XI-XII centuries in Old Merv, in Seraxs etc. |
6. Name of Silk Roads component: Uzgen and Shorobashat sites |
Brief description of the component: Ancient settlement of Uzgen is the centre of the oasis rich of monuments of settled and nomadic people, dated in a wide chronological range. It belongs to a zone of early contacts on the Silk Road, being the most eastern city centre of Davan, as the city of Ju-chen known on Chinese sources is traditionally localised here in a context of military expeditions of 104-99 BC. Another hypothesis is that ancient Ju-chen is Shorobashat, the largest site in eastern Fergana located along Zhazy (Yassy) river, which has four-part structure with fortifications, covering the area of more than 70 hectares. Main period of development is IV-I centuries BC, at the turn of the era nuclear part of the city migrated to the area where now ruins of Uzgen site are located. Medieval written sources say that the city of Uzgen was on the border of Muslim and nomadic (not yet adopted Islam) worlds. Kosh-Bulak settlement is located on high cape of the right bank of Zhazy (Yassy) river, trapezium-shaped; the sizes 150 x 200m, walls are traced along the perimeter. The settlement is protected by deep ditches from the north and the east. Neighborhood has traces of habitation, too. This settlement had strategic value to control entrance and exit of Zhazy valley, approaches to Shorobashat and Uzgen, and exits from various gorges. One of the branches of Fergana line of the Silk Road went from here, upwards by the river Zhazy, through mountain passes, to the areas of Inner Tien-Shan and southern shore of Issyk-Kul, and further to China. End of X centuries AD, during the expansion of the Karahanid state, Uzgen became capital of the western part of the empire for a short time, and then for a long time remained as a center of Fergana. It is considered that Kara-Kidans kept their treasury here. Uzgen had endured Mongolian invasion, continued to function at the time of Timur and Timurids. Uzgen site is situated on four hills stretching along the Kara-Darya river. The third hills, having solid defensive structures, carried out citadel functions, the others were Shakhristans. Rabad was lower, occupying considerable territory between two rivers. Three mausoleums and minaret, known as the Uzgen architectural complex, are located in the east of the fourth Shakhristan, on a necropolis. Mausoleum complex consist of three fired-brick buildings, closely attached to each other along one line. The earliest mausoleum was built at the turn of XI-XII centuries AD. Facades are decorated with architectural terracotta and carved plaster. Wide belts of inscriptions written in Kufi, Naskh, Suls and vegetative ornament cover them. Inscriptions testify that the representatives of Uzgen branches of Karahanid dynasty and their military leaders are buried in the Northern and Southern chambers. They lived in a period from the middle till the end of XII centuries AD (three dates have remained - 1152, 1186, 1187). The minaret is located to the northwest from the mausoleums, is dated back to middle of XI centuries AD, and consists of stylobate, octahedral base and the conic body with figured bricklaying. Uzgen architectural complex demonstrates development of domical and portal architecture in a time span, and its decor is considered as "encyclopedia of ornament" of Karahanid epoch. Excavations in 1988-1989, between minaret and tombs, revealed a monumental fired brick construction, possibly, ruins of the medrese, mentioned by Dzhamal -Karshi in the end of XIII centuries AD. In 0, 4 km to the north, remains of a potter's workshop, of the end of XII centuries AD, with four rectangular furnaces are found in the middle of modern city. Uzgen was a connecting point on the Silk Road with intensive political, economic, trading and cultural contacts from antiquity and the Middle Ages till modern age. The architectural complex is a model of evolution of architecture in premongolian period. |
Statement of authenticity and/or integrity of the individual component: The modern city of Uzgen is located on the territory of ancient site, but its size is much less. Citadel and Shakhristans have been preserved relatively, however they are also disturbed by modern structures. Officially the complex is a part of "Sulaiman-Too" museum complex with a representative in Uzgen responsible for its protection and management. Uzgen Architectural Complex is on the State list of monuments of national importance and has delimited boundaries. Restoration of the complex repeatedly carried out throughout ХХ century, as a whole have not affected authenticity and integrity of monuments, except for bulkhead, built on top of the minaret in 1924. New National Program on Cultural Heritage set the site of Uzgen with its monuments as a priority for immediate actions on protective zoning. Shorobashat is also on the State list of monuments of national importance. Local administrations are in charge of legal and physical protection at the local level, there is a museum at school where excavation materials are stored. Remoteness of the site and maintenance by local community are the main factors of preservation of its authenticity and integrity.
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Comparison of the Silk Roads component with other similar properties, whether on the Silk Roads or not, and the reasons that make the property stand out: 1. This site differs in duration of functioning: antiquity, the Middle Ages, modern history. 2. Border between settled and nomadic worlds passed across this site. 3. Administrative functions, economic potential, active minting of coins. 4. Uzgen architectural complex demonstrates development of domical and portal constructions and architectural decoration of the Premongolian epoch. |
Justification of Outstanding Universal Value
The Silk Roads are routes of integration, exchange and dialogue between East and West that have contributed greatly to the common prosperity of humankind for almost 2 millennia. The whole of the route is more than the sum of its constituent parts.
Flourishing in particular between the 2nd century BC and end of the 16th century AD, this network of routes, started initially from Chang'an (present-day Xi'an)and ultimately stretching from East Asia to the Mediterranean in the west, and down into the Indian subcontinent, facilitated and generated a two-way intercontinental trade in a dazzling array of trading goods. Of these, Chinese silk was among the most valuable, but it included materials such as precious metals and stones, ceramics, perfumes, ornamental woods, and spices in return for cotton and wool textiles, glass, wine, amber, carpets and the celebrated horses. This trade connected various civilizations, persisted over centuries and was sustained by a system of caravanserais, commercial settlements, trade cities and forts along its entire length of more than 10,000 km, which makes it arguably the longest cultural route in the history of humanity.
But much more than trading goods was transported over the network of Silk Roads. Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Nestorian, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Manichaeanism spread over the Silk Roads, Scientific and technological developments were also diffused by these routes, for example from China, paper, printing, gunpowder, cast iron, the crossbow, the magnetic compass, and porcelain, whilst engineering developments (particularly bridge building), the cultivation and working of cotton, tapestry weaving, calendrial sciences, vine cultivation, as well as certain glazing and metal working techniques spread from Central Asia, Middle East, Mediterranean and the west. There was also a substantial two-way exchange of medical knowledge and medicines, as well as of what are now seen as universal fruit and other food crops.
As such, the Silk Roads generated outstanding manifestations of global significance in the realms of economy, society, culture and the environment. The types of monuments, sites and cultural landscapes found along the Silk Roads can be categorized under:
1) Infrastructure (facilitating trade and transportation);
2) Production (of trading goods); and
3) Outcomes (such as cities, art, knowledge as a result of contact and exchange).
The property includes outstanding examples of types of heritage under these categories.
Attributes include:
- Topographical and natural features
- Urban patterns and architectural designs
- Socio-economic development
- Political events
- Religious and spiritual values
- Achievements in science and technology
- Achievements in the arts (sculpture, painting, carving, etc.)
- Intangible heritage
Under Category 1 Infrastructure, the sites among others, comprises caravanserais and inns; military posts, garrison stations and fortifications; bridges; irrigation systems; natural and cultural landmarks.
Under Category 2 Production the sites reflect mining, metal working, manufacturing and handicrafts, and other industrial and production sites.
Under Category 3 Outcomes the sites include trade cities, urban centres and settlements; religious, spiritual and ceremonial sites (including shrines, caves, tombs, sites of pilgrimage); and places of associations with political events, transfer of ideas, language, music, dance, poetry, etc.
Inscription of the Silk Roads Cultural Route property is justified under:
- criterion (ii): as the Silk Roads property exhibits preeminent interchanges of human values;
- criterion (iii): as the Silk Roads property is an outstanding example of the trade and dissemination of cultural traditions over long-distances;
- criterion (iv): as the Silk Roads property contains an outstanding example of urban, architectural and technological ensembles that was necessary to sustain this trade and exchange over almost two millennia;
- criterion (v): as the Silk Roads property bears an exceptional testimony to human interactions with the environment;
- criterion (vi): as the Silk Roads property is directly and tangibly associated with historic and living traditions, beliefs and value systems.
Statements of authenticity and/or integrity
Integrity
The integrity of the nominated Silk Roads Cultural Route serial property is related to the presence of all the attributes necessary to express its Outstanding Universal Value. The aim is to include in the overall property, after a number of extensions of the initial nomination, attributes that reflect fully the scope of the extensive cultural route, in particular its infrastructure, including caravansaries, forts, bridges, irrigation, agriculture and way markings, its production sites, related to the production of high value trade goods such a metal mining and metal working, and the outstanding outputs of the longdistance, profitable trade over almost two millennia, in particular cities, towns and sacred sites and their associations with the exchange of knowledge in the fields of science, technology, religion, and arts and architecture.
The boundaries of the nominated sites will adequately encompass their attributes.
The robust selection process will ensure that sites selected for nomination will not be threatened.
Authenticity
To justify inscription of the Silk Roads property under criterion (i) as well depends wholly on a successful argumentation whether this property as a whole was the creation of the human genius (as opposed to an outcome over time of various factors, some deliberately created by humankind, others dependant on random factors that were adapted and incorporated.
The authenticity of the Silk Roads Cultural Route serial property relates to the ability of the individual attributes to reflect fully their relationship to the outstanding universal value.
All the nominated sites will be well-researched and documented to demonstrate their relationship to the active period of the Silk Roads from between 2nd century BC and the end of 16th century AD and their outstanding contribution to its infrastructure, production or social and economic success.
All built remains, archaeological sites and landscapes are in good condition and where necessary are conserved or restored, or have on-going conservation programmes, using appropriate materials and methods in accordance with conservation and archaeological principles and guidelines adopted by the Coordinating Committee. There are no unacceptable reconstructions. Their links with the Silk Roads have not been compromised through inappropriate interventions since their period of activity and all sites have the ability to manifest clearly their associations.
Protection and management
All sites enjoy national protection and have adequate buffer zones. The overall management system for the extensive Silk Roads Cultural Route involves several layers, involving many authorities. The over-arching body is the intergovernmental Coordinating Committee, whose role is to set out the parameters within which nominations are put forward, and to develop guidelines, policies and monitoring mechanisms to be adopted by all participating State Parties on matters such as conservation, presentation and cultural tourism. Within each individual country, there is a national coordinating body that is responsible for coordination between sites. At local level, the management of sites varies to reflect different arrangements of ownership and of local or regional government. However all sites have an agreed management plan that sets out clearly how the attributes of the site contribute to the overall Silk Routes property, and that expresses how their interpretation and visitor management are coordinated with other sites.