Silk Road Odyssey
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Orda Khan
- Posts: 433
- Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 11:45 am
- Location: Wales
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jack farrell
- Posts: 1864
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 3:40 am
- Location: Texas
When asked about other bows we are directed to the textile museum, Moschee Magoki Attari. We went there last night but did not find any bows. Today we make a real inspection and find one around in a blind corner. I am absolutley delighted to find a wonderfully painted stone bow, also called a pellet bow. It is a wood "D" bow 56 1/2" nock to nock, still strung, with a round tapered cross section throughout and a leather grip below center. The two twisted sinew strings are intact as well as the cloth pocket.
The entire wood surface is adorned in numerous registers of different color and design schemes. Because damaged areas seem to show a different color scheme below, it is somewhat difficult to make out the individual registers. The museum card indicates the beginning of the 19th c. I consider this to have been the property of a young boy of some upper class family. This is the first stone bow of which I can remember seeing which is not of Chinese origin.
The textile museum is in one of the ancient trading circles; masterfully built structures with multiple vaulted ceilings entirely made of brick. There are four of these; the silk market, jewelry market, moneychangers market, and rug market. These are original designations which are no longer followed. The historic zone is about 26 hectacres with a city wall and all that goes with it.
The standard greeting is to put eighter hand on the heart and say "a salom hallakum". This is said in a heartfelt manner and then a hand is offered in handshake. People are honest, friendly, inquisitive and clean in their persons and clothing. Many business owners are women who are not shy to bargain. There is an egalitarian air.
I can't pass without mentioning the "Minaret Girls". Our guide tells to watch out for them. These are young women, girls really, who have grown up as private traders in tourist goods in the shadow of the famous minaret of the central square. Minaret girls, about 8 or 10 of them, are sharply dressed in traditional garb and bargain their wares off the sidewalk in an aggressive manner. We hear that they have been written about and have traveled to Europe as modern cultural novelties.
Next morning we depart for Khiva. We see more kurgans as the landscape turns very dry and scrub. We see our first prarie dogs-rodents. The driver-Shakir- snacks on yogurt balls, grimey little dry balls of salty but not hard yogurt, noticably whiter inside than out. These do not look fresh; he says that they last a long time- for years even. I accept and eat many as we are sharing my granola bars, which he eats and hoards for later.
We are stopped a second time at a border control station and the driver speaks authoratively at first and then somewhat agressively to the guards who open the bar and let us pass. Maybe they expect money and Shakir is not having any of that. In the sands I photo turtle tracks, beetle tracks and a beautiful plant identified as an umbrella plant.
The road becomes even worse with absolute craters; we continue weaving eratically as we speed along towards Sarimay where we first take sight of the Amudarya River before turning north away from the crossing into Turkmenistan.
It is now late afternoon when we see a restaurant with a 3 foot catfish hanging outside. We go in and order 1.5 kl of that fish caught in the Amudarya, which is cooked outside in a wood fired wok. Served with salsa, onions and fresh bread and large local beers; we finish with just delivered cake. Locals at another table insist we toast with vodka, not to Uzbekistan as I suggest but to TEXAS which absolutely everyone seems to know about, in an other-side-of-the-world kind of way!
Our car pulls into Khiva in time for us to climb a tower in the historic zone for a look at the city at sunset. The hotel is just outside of the city wall, royal gate.
The entire wood surface is adorned in numerous registers of different color and design schemes. Because damaged areas seem to show a different color scheme below, it is somewhat difficult to make out the individual registers. The museum card indicates the beginning of the 19th c. I consider this to have been the property of a young boy of some upper class family. This is the first stone bow of which I can remember seeing which is not of Chinese origin.
The textile museum is in one of the ancient trading circles; masterfully built structures with multiple vaulted ceilings entirely made of brick. There are four of these; the silk market, jewelry market, moneychangers market, and rug market. These are original designations which are no longer followed. The historic zone is about 26 hectacres with a city wall and all that goes with it.
The standard greeting is to put eighter hand on the heart and say "a salom hallakum". This is said in a heartfelt manner and then a hand is offered in handshake. People are honest, friendly, inquisitive and clean in their persons and clothing. Many business owners are women who are not shy to bargain. There is an egalitarian air.
I can't pass without mentioning the "Minaret Girls". Our guide tells to watch out for them. These are young women, girls really, who have grown up as private traders in tourist goods in the shadow of the famous minaret of the central square. Minaret girls, about 8 or 10 of them, are sharply dressed in traditional garb and bargain their wares off the sidewalk in an aggressive manner. We hear that they have been written about and have traveled to Europe as modern cultural novelties.
Next morning we depart for Khiva. We see more kurgans as the landscape turns very dry and scrub. We see our first prarie dogs-rodents. The driver-Shakir- snacks on yogurt balls, grimey little dry balls of salty but not hard yogurt, noticably whiter inside than out. These do not look fresh; he says that they last a long time- for years even. I accept and eat many as we are sharing my granola bars, which he eats and hoards for later.
We are stopped a second time at a border control station and the driver speaks authoratively at first and then somewhat agressively to the guards who open the bar and let us pass. Maybe they expect money and Shakir is not having any of that. In the sands I photo turtle tracks, beetle tracks and a beautiful plant identified as an umbrella plant.
The road becomes even worse with absolute craters; we continue weaving eratically as we speed along towards Sarimay where we first take sight of the Amudarya River before turning north away from the crossing into Turkmenistan.
It is now late afternoon when we see a restaurant with a 3 foot catfish hanging outside. We go in and order 1.5 kl of that fish caught in the Amudarya, which is cooked outside in a wood fired wok. Served with salsa, onions and fresh bread and large local beers; we finish with just delivered cake. Locals at another table insist we toast with vodka, not to Uzbekistan as I suggest but to TEXAS which absolutely everyone seems to know about, in an other-side-of-the-world kind of way!
Our car pulls into Khiva in time for us to climb a tower in the historic zone for a look at the city at sunset. The hotel is just outside of the city wall, royal gate.
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jack farrell
- Posts: 1864
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 3:40 am
- Location: Texas
Zoomed in from a distance; the real thing, living off the land.
Last edited by jack farrell on Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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jack farrell
- Posts: 1864
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 3:40 am
- Location: Texas
Khiva means good water. It is said that this city started with a single good well. People hold wells here to be sacred and make them part of pilgrimages. We have seen wells that are said to be 1000 years old.
Khiva has a city wall enclosing perhaps 10 by 10 city blocks. There are four entrances; one for the ruler, one for others, one for caravans and one for slaves. Commoners were not generally allowed inside the city gates. There was a slave market in one corner. Raiding was done for Russians to sell in the market till one of the czars got enough of it. The Russians came into the city when the ruler was out of town and took his royal silver throne back to Russia. That showed him!
This is the most historically complete place we have seen on our trip. Mosques, palace buildings, an audience hall, grave yards, bazaars, private residences and now hotels are all enclosed in the historic zone. The gates never close. Many craft shops such as wood carving, antique textiles, and rug making proliferate the historic zone. Where they are rebuilding some houses it is possible to see the original construction when walls are pulled down exposing other structures.
The silk rugmaking shop has an incredible volume of silk string hanging out in the sun. I had always thought that silk filament was like a spider web but am surprised to find out that it has some volume. Maybe several filaments would make a thread. Silk cord used for rug base is incredibly cheap here if one could only navigate Russian, customs and payment.
Khiva is the old capitol of the area of Khoriezm. Khoriezm was in ancient times almost an empire making up a large portion of Turkestan. This is now reduced today to a small but important part of Uzbekistan and includes much prime farm land in the delta of the Amudarya River.
This delta used to flood to 30 or 40 miles wide so the rulers went north that distance to build their fortresses. My friend and I plus the driver and our guide proceed north into Karakalpakstan area to see these fortresses, called Kalas. The first one built was that of King Ayaz, known as Ayazkala, built on a small hill c 300 AD. It is unique at being complete but not having a gate. One might assume that it was entered through a tunnel. On a much larger hill overlooking Ayazkala is another much larger kala with a military garrison. We take time to clammor about the fortress and have a good vantage to photo the Ayazkala below.
An enterprising Uzbek woman has built a yurt village at Ayazkala where foreign visitors come to stay,treck on camels, visit the ruins and canoe. The establishment cooks for visitors in a typical primitive kitchen
As the royal families multiplied, they built new kalas nearby. There are about 50 known kalas still standing, till c 10th c. We visit Kizilkala-red kala- and Tuprakala. Many fortifies places in this part of the world did not allow commoners to live inside the walls. There are often the remains of small villages just outside. Olive groves, willows, black elms, tamarisk, poplars and phragmites canes are common in this area.
We say our last goodbyes to our excellent driver,and proceed to Urgkent to fly to Tashkent, then Almaty and then for our last adventure to Tammerlane's headquarters beginning a roadtrip in Chymkent-called Texas-by many Kazaks.
Khiva has a city wall enclosing perhaps 10 by 10 city blocks. There are four entrances; one for the ruler, one for others, one for caravans and one for slaves. Commoners were not generally allowed inside the city gates. There was a slave market in one corner. Raiding was done for Russians to sell in the market till one of the czars got enough of it. The Russians came into the city when the ruler was out of town and took his royal silver throne back to Russia. That showed him!
This is the most historically complete place we have seen on our trip. Mosques, palace buildings, an audience hall, grave yards, bazaars, private residences and now hotels are all enclosed in the historic zone. The gates never close. Many craft shops such as wood carving, antique textiles, and rug making proliferate the historic zone. Where they are rebuilding some houses it is possible to see the original construction when walls are pulled down exposing other structures.
The silk rugmaking shop has an incredible volume of silk string hanging out in the sun. I had always thought that silk filament was like a spider web but am surprised to find out that it has some volume. Maybe several filaments would make a thread. Silk cord used for rug base is incredibly cheap here if one could only navigate Russian, customs and payment.
Khiva is the old capitol of the area of Khoriezm. Khoriezm was in ancient times almost an empire making up a large portion of Turkestan. This is now reduced today to a small but important part of Uzbekistan and includes much prime farm land in the delta of the Amudarya River.
This delta used to flood to 30 or 40 miles wide so the rulers went north that distance to build their fortresses. My friend and I plus the driver and our guide proceed north into Karakalpakstan area to see these fortresses, called Kalas. The first one built was that of King Ayaz, known as Ayazkala, built on a small hill c 300 AD. It is unique at being complete but not having a gate. One might assume that it was entered through a tunnel. On a much larger hill overlooking Ayazkala is another much larger kala with a military garrison. We take time to clammor about the fortress and have a good vantage to photo the Ayazkala below.
An enterprising Uzbek woman has built a yurt village at Ayazkala where foreign visitors come to stay,treck on camels, visit the ruins and canoe. The establishment cooks for visitors in a typical primitive kitchen
As the royal families multiplied, they built new kalas nearby. There are about 50 known kalas still standing, till c 10th c. We visit Kizilkala-red kala- and Tuprakala. Many fortifies places in this part of the world did not allow commoners to live inside the walls. There are often the remains of small villages just outside. Olive groves, willows, black elms, tamarisk, poplars and phragmites canes are common in this area.
We say our last goodbyes to our excellent driver,and proceed to Urgkent to fly to Tashkent, then Almaty and then for our last adventure to Tammerlane's headquarters beginning a roadtrip in Chymkent-called Texas-by many Kazaks.
Last edited by jack farrell on Sat May 17, 2008 12:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
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jack farrell
- Posts: 1864
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 3:40 am
- Location: Texas
THe Khiva city wall.
Last edited by jack farrell on Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:43 am, edited 2 times in total.
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jack farrell
- Posts: 1864
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 3:40 am
- Location: Texas
Dear folks; We have arrived at the final day of the Silk Road Odyssey. I have learned that everywhere we went people felt that they were on the Silk Road. This is a romantic idea without an exact place or time. To be sure the process of moving goods around did not just happen on a super highway but also on a myriad of small back roads. The consumption was also not intended to be trans continental. There is ample proof that local populaces everywhere along the Silk Road were also consumers of imported goods.
Today we fly to Chimkent (green city) also called tay HAAS (Texas). We thought there was a Texas, Kazakhstan but this turned out to be a joke of sorts. Our driver picked us up at the airport and headed out on his itinerary. Within a minute we had him straightened out and he makes a u turn and heads for Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan. The old name was Yasi.
We pass fields of wild poppies and numerous kurgans. The guide tells us that there are more than 1500 kurgans in the vicinity. This is also the most northern cotton farming in the world.
But first we get to the museum in Timur which is a goldmine of folk crafts. There is the finest yurt display complete with beds, Wall mounted Wood sink, and textiles of course. There is a nomad forge for iron and the tools. There is falconry equipment, a 300 year old boat for transporting goods on the Syrdarya R., a display of Kipchak arrowheads, a catapult display, lots of ceramics, etc.
We move on to Otrar (middle of the road) fortress, the place where Tammerlane died. On a flat plane the fortress is about 100 feet high surrounded by an adobe mud brick wall. The Japanese are financing an archaeological dig which is ongoing. Already discovered is the oldest bath house in Central Asia and a modern structure is being built over it to preserve it. The site is covered in colored ceramic shards and animal and human bone fragments. The quantity is not to be believed. Dozens of structure foundations are exposed. These are fired brick.. It is said that the clay was not good here and this was also imported some distance.
Central Asians seem to love historical mysteries and I will share this one. Tammerlane was preparing the largest possible army to invade China. T was 70. He suddenly took sick and died. Now Moslems do not generally enbalm the dead but in order to transport T back to Uzbekistan to the village of his birth, this was apparantly necessary. When the body arrived in Samarkand, the mountain road to his village was impassible till Spring and so he was buried in his grandson's mauseleum. When the Russians dug up his remains he was found in a wooden coffin. This is also not traditional. So the conspiracy stories abound about this great man's death.
What seems certain is that the Chinese were probably glad that the great organizer did not use his skills on them!
We visit the Haristam Bop Mausoleum (Brave Lion), lunch in Shoulder and then press on to the Khoda Yasi Mausoleum, our great goal. Tammerlane had a colossal caldron cast in 1401 to commemorate a holy man. The mausoleum is as large as a cathedral, HUGE. The caldron is in the center of the main hall, looks like a footed bowl 5-6 feet high and 8-9 feet across, weighing in at two tons. This treasure of the country spent some time in the Hermitage but was repatriated in 1994 to the original location. I feel sure that many of the treasures of Central Asia are forever locked up in the Hermitage including many of the archery goodies I was hoping to see.
The other buildings on the grounds would take another post to describe; the reconstructed commercial street, the gargantuan fortress restored, an original bath house-tea house-massage area- all underground, a Russian barracks History museum. Taras, the place where the Chinese faced the Arabs in the 7th c is not far down the road.
We return to Chimkent famished and proceed to a local eatery determine to eat nomad food-bish bar mack- horse meat sausage, slabs of horse fat, crushed chili sauce, boiled beef, noodles, shurpa- greasy lamb broth, and KHUMIS-fermented horse milk which does not go well with beer we found out. But it all settled, was even tasty.
This is the last of my Central Asia adventure, the trip of a lifetime to be sure. If you decide to go remember that there is precious little tourist acomodation, though people mean to be hospitiable, their understanding of what is needed may not match yours. And remember that the customs rules seem to have been invented to deprive you of your money at the borders. Plan ahead and learn the rules.
Thanks to my dear friend Bsky for making this all possible. Jack Farrell
Today we fly to Chimkent (green city) also called tay HAAS (Texas). We thought there was a Texas, Kazakhstan but this turned out to be a joke of sorts. Our driver picked us up at the airport and headed out on his itinerary. Within a minute we had him straightened out and he makes a u turn and heads for Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan. The old name was Yasi.
We pass fields of wild poppies and numerous kurgans. The guide tells us that there are more than 1500 kurgans in the vicinity. This is also the most northern cotton farming in the world.
But first we get to the museum in Timur which is a goldmine of folk crafts. There is the finest yurt display complete with beds, Wall mounted Wood sink, and textiles of course. There is a nomad forge for iron and the tools. There is falconry equipment, a 300 year old boat for transporting goods on the Syrdarya R., a display of Kipchak arrowheads, a catapult display, lots of ceramics, etc.
We move on to Otrar (middle of the road) fortress, the place where Tammerlane died. On a flat plane the fortress is about 100 feet high surrounded by an adobe mud brick wall. The Japanese are financing an archaeological dig which is ongoing. Already discovered is the oldest bath house in Central Asia and a modern structure is being built over it to preserve it. The site is covered in colored ceramic shards and animal and human bone fragments. The quantity is not to be believed. Dozens of structure foundations are exposed. These are fired brick.. It is said that the clay was not good here and this was also imported some distance.
Central Asians seem to love historical mysteries and I will share this one. Tammerlane was preparing the largest possible army to invade China. T was 70. He suddenly took sick and died. Now Moslems do not generally enbalm the dead but in order to transport T back to Uzbekistan to the village of his birth, this was apparantly necessary. When the body arrived in Samarkand, the mountain road to his village was impassible till Spring and so he was buried in his grandson's mauseleum. When the Russians dug up his remains he was found in a wooden coffin. This is also not traditional. So the conspiracy stories abound about this great man's death.
What seems certain is that the Chinese were probably glad that the great organizer did not use his skills on them!
We visit the Haristam Bop Mausoleum (Brave Lion), lunch in Shoulder and then press on to the Khoda Yasi Mausoleum, our great goal. Tammerlane had a colossal caldron cast in 1401 to commemorate a holy man. The mausoleum is as large as a cathedral, HUGE. The caldron is in the center of the main hall, looks like a footed bowl 5-6 feet high and 8-9 feet across, weighing in at two tons. This treasure of the country spent some time in the Hermitage but was repatriated in 1994 to the original location. I feel sure that many of the treasures of Central Asia are forever locked up in the Hermitage including many of the archery goodies I was hoping to see.
The other buildings on the grounds would take another post to describe; the reconstructed commercial street, the gargantuan fortress restored, an original bath house-tea house-massage area- all underground, a Russian barracks History museum. Taras, the place where the Chinese faced the Arabs in the 7th c is not far down the road.
We return to Chimkent famished and proceed to a local eatery determine to eat nomad food-bish bar mack- horse meat sausage, slabs of horse fat, crushed chili sauce, boiled beef, noodles, shurpa- greasy lamb broth, and KHUMIS-fermented horse milk which does not go well with beer we found out. But it all settled, was even tasty.
This is the last of my Central Asia adventure, the trip of a lifetime to be sure. If you decide to go remember that there is precious little tourist acomodation, though people mean to be hospitiable, their understanding of what is needed may not match yours. And remember that the customs rules seem to have been invented to deprive you of your money at the borders. Plan ahead and learn the rules.
Thanks to my dear friend Bsky for making this all possible. Jack Farrell
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jack farrell
- Posts: 1864
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 3:40 am
- Location: Texas
Compare this bronze to the size of the people. It has been said that bronzes of this shape in Central; Asia are for commemorative purposes. This one was made to fill with sugar water to serve to pilgrims on friday services.
Last edited by jack farrell on Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:40 am, edited 2 times in total.
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jack farrell
- Posts: 1864
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 3:40 am
- Location: Texas
Don't tell my doctor I ate this. Look at all the fat!
Last edited by jack farrell on Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
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jack farrell
- Posts: 1864
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 3:40 am
- Location: Texas
A Timurid era shirt of plates and mail. 1400 AD. Note the holder for a porcelain tea bowl in the lower left. Serious warriors wanted tea, and not in just any bowl. -j-
Last edited by jack farrell on Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:40 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Orda Khan
- Posts: 433
- Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 11:45 am
- Location: Wales
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jack farrell
- Posts: 1864
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 3:40 am
- Location: Texas
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Tamr The Nomad
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 5:28 pm
- Location: South of Boston
Unforgetable?
Jack, You are following my dream, I wish I were doing this too.
Orda Kahn, Can you recall a forgettable experience that you may or may not have had
?
Orda Kahn, Can you recall a forgettable experience that you may or may not have had
?