Turkmenistan: Merv Photo

Photographer’s Note

"Copyright © – Attila Szili.
The reproduction, publication, modification, transmission or exploitation of any work contained herein for any use, personal or commercial, without my prior written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved."

Merv was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road, located near today's Mary. The city was controlled by a succession of Persian, Greek, Turkish and Central Asian rulers and governors. From the archeological excavations appears to have been founded by Cyrus the Great(559-530), however this is not the earliest period of occupation in the Merv oasis however other archaeological surveys in the northern part of the oasis have revealed remains of urban life beginning in the third millennium BC.
Probably, the best period of Merv was under the Seljuks who established it as an eastern capital from 1037 to 1157. The golden age of this period was the reign of Sultan Sanjar, whose tomb still dominates the centre of the medieval city site of Sultan Kala. It is believed that Merv was the largest city in the world from 1145 to 1153 with a population of 200,000.
In 1221 Merv was occupied by Tule, son of Genghis Khan, chief of the Mongols, on which occasion most of the inhabitants are said to have been killed. Some experts believe that over 1.3 million people died in the aftermath of the city's capture.
On the death of the grandson of Genghis Khan, Merv was included (1380) in the possessions of Tamerlane, Turk-Persian prince of Samarkand.
In 1505 the city was occupied by the Uzbeks, who five years later were expelled by Ismail Khan, the founder of the Safavid dynasty of Persia. In 1727 Nadir, the future khan of Iran, evicted all the people of Merv to Mashhad. Ten years later he himself began to restore the deserted city to prepare an arsenal for a war campaign against China. After Nadirshah's death, the town was being devastated by Afghan and Bukhara troops. They destroyed the irrigation system and ravaged the Murghab oasis. In 1882 Turkmens drove the Bukhara emirs out and soon built a fortress on the new banks of the Murghab, which had changed its bed. So the present town of Mary was built, unconnected with the sites of ancient Merv. Merv is a group of sites of the ancient town of different periods: Bairamalikhan-kala, Abdullakhan-kala, Sultan-kala, Erk-kala (the fortress-citadel), and Gyaur-kala.

On the present photo you can see two old structures:
- in the fg. the fortress of Great Kyz-kala with it's high corrugated walls made of clay. Kyz-Kala, is an unusual windowless castle outside the city wall, was nicknamed "the house of maidens tears" when Sultan Sanjar started using it for intimate gatherings in which all the guests were men and all the women were slaves.
- in the far bg. is Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum. Completed in 1140 AD it is an impressive building of nice brickwork.

The oasis is situated on the southern edge of the Kara-kum Desert and has a dry, hot climate in summer and a cold in winter. The heat of summer is most oppressive, I know something about it.

The site of ancient Merv has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Sites.

pablominto, abdolrashidi, lechmt, yannick, abulafia, Gerrit, riclopes, andante, vinicio, manub, turkamerikali, Buin, Mistral, gilou530, Emile, erdna, Henryk_Bilor, PixelTerror, Cricri, cunejo200, emjleclercq, TeresaT, Giorgio, blakitan, jhm, leo61, rahul__rahul__, imrek, kermit350, AiresSantos, elmec, CRATEOS, Rev, alekpet, efigesta, Angshu, josepmarin, iwonal3, FORJP001, arturo, guillaumejm, paura, meyerd, Fevzi trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

pablominto (41084) 2006-07-20 4:46

Hi Attila,
Once upon a time a massive architectural structure, now the clay walls in strong decay...
Subject well framed in a nice presentation, good angle of lighting bringing life to the ruin...
Good natural colours and fine details, well written complimentary note!
Greetings,
Pablo -

lechmt (835) 2006-07-20 4:54

Words of appreciation for posting the picture from Turkmenistan and for the note you have written.. It's a great opportunity to learn so much about just with one picture...
Best regards Tomasz

yannick (1469) 2006-07-20 4:59

This is a nice, well composed picture. The ruin in the front is impressive, because of its mass, and because of the story you tell us concerning its use.
Very interesting note.
Thanks for sharing.
Yannick

abulafia (4802) 2006-07-20 5:27

Hi Attila
Impressive and interesting fortress!
and your composition is pretty good with the fortress off center and the mausoleum in the background.
TFS
Harry

daddo (11439) 2006-07-20 6:25

All the plans of mice and men-as they say. Where is all that former glory and where are all the tens of thousands of slaves, peasants and soldiers that made these buildings possible through their suffering and toil? One can hear their cries in this abandoned ruin. Your composition accentualtes the desolation and decay. Well done Attila. Regards, Klaudio

riclopes (33107) 2006-07-20 6:29

Olá Attila,
What an impressive image of this very interesting architecture made out of clay. I really would love to visit such a place. Good perspective from a distance from where we understand the green plain and empty landscape and the distance bettween the two isolated buildings. Exccellent informative note, as well.
Friendly regards,
Ricardo

Gerrit (36057) 2006-07-20 6:31

Hi Attila,
It's still a wonder that those clay walls still stand the way they do.
Very impressive site and picture and a great note,
regards,. Gerrit

t0mmm1 (5434) 2006-07-20 7:13

Hi Szili,
you have beautiful portfolio. For now I choose the last one, but surely will return to look more acurately.
This is beautiful picture with very informative note. This post it's a real treasure.
Have a nice week.
Tomi

andante (7092) 2006-07-20 7:18

One thing I enjoy the most out of your photography is that places you shoot are the most exotic locations I can imagine. Places that not even in National Geographic I have read about. And then, you present them on such professional and well documented way. Always a pleasure, my friend.

Cheers,
Enrique

vinicio (22420) 2006-07-20 7:42

Bello, interessante e inarrivabile per me, grazie di avermelo fatto conoscere, e complimenti, foto impeccabile e nota molto completa.
Ciao
Vinicio

Graal (58445) 2006-07-20 8:05

Jó napot Attila,
unusual view and the object, interesting note. I like the composition and colours also. Good work.
Rgs, Aleksander

P-S-I-G (24482) 2006-07-20 8:33

Hello Attila,
Very beautiful light. Note very interesting.
The monument looks very massive. Well composed.
Best regards,
Fabrice

Fis2 (46155) 2006-07-20 13:12

Witaj Attila!
Curoius object. I lik ethe frame and colours. Very impressive picture.
Regards
Krzysztof

turkamerikali (4772) 2006-07-20 14:55

Hi Attila,
Another Excellent shot from Turmenistan my friend.
Excellent pov,dof,focus,sharpness,colors,details,note and frame.Well Done.TFS
Have a Great WE my friend:)
Tolga

Buin (38084) 2006-07-20 15:05

Hallo Attila!
The others have said all. For me rests: A great picture with a great note as well. Thank you for both!
Greetings from burning hot Germany!
Frank

Mistral (13730) 2006-07-20 16:15

Ciao Attila,
finalmente ecco una bella immagine di Merv!
Eccellente composizione ed interessantissima nota.
Grazie!
Luca

gilou530 (35516) 2006-07-20 16:58

salut attila
trés intéressante cette photo, un paysage splendide avec ce monument a l'architecture spéciale de ce pays méconnu, bonne note qui aide a ce faireune idée
amitiés
gilbert

Emile (20047) 2006-07-20 17:21

Great picture and very interesting note Szili.
Nice POV and compo. Like the way you located the ancient Merv, off center.
Very good colours and perspective,
Well done.

erdna (5358) 2006-07-20 21:14

A very well done phototgraph with a very interesting complementary write-up. I like the way you pushed it up, by showing more of the foreground.

Andre'

Henryk_Bilor (20367) 2006-07-21 4:16

Hello Attila
Beautiful castle with its corrugated walls. I like the perspective and the colours at the image.
Have a nice day.

PixelTerror (86528) 2006-07-21 4:25

Szia Attila,
I'm eager on continuing this trip into the unknown with you, the fortress looks a bit unusual in terms of style, at least different from what I'm used to see, I like too the rising mausoleum structure in the distance, it gives a sensation of depth. I did a small WS for you.
Have a nice week end,
Jean-Yves

[workshop] [compare]

Cricri (43462) 2006-07-21 6:27

Bonjour Attila,
Intéressante explications de ses ruines, belle prise de vue, couleurs et belle lumiére sur l'ensemble, compliment
amitiés
cricri

cunejo200 (7201) 2006-07-21 14:46

Hi Szili,

Superb composition with exquisite clarity and colors. Good notes about ancient Turkmenistan. Best wishes.
Danilo

emjleclercq (14414) 2006-07-21 17:13

A very intersting old fortress, partly ruined but with still impressing walls. Interesting play with the light and shadow on the two walls and of course the little bonus of the small mausoleum in the bakcground.

All the best,

Emmanuel

TeresaT (10733) 2006-07-21 18:09

Hi Attila,
Beautiful compostion of this ruins from a place that the common people don't know much about.
So it's good to see things from places that we don't know.
The note is very good too.
The colours are very natural and the light is also good.
Regards and have a nice weekend.
Teresa

Giorgio (8750) 2006-07-22 2:08

- Very interesting this photograph, a splendid landscape with this monument has especially massive architecture in this misunderstood country, good note which helps has it to make an idea, well done!

blakitan (1311) 2006-07-22 4:48

Hi Szili,
Great shot, very interesting object and comprehensive note. Greatly composed. Superb picture.

Ben Lakitan

xavshot (62929) 2006-07-22 10:44

Bonjour
une très belle photo pour nous présenter cette architecture. La lumière est excellente : elle permet d'aporter du relief.
Bravo
Xavier

jhm (83073) 2006-07-22 11:04

Hi Paolo,

You show us a small part out of the classical antiquity, with a very interesting note, excellent composition, soft colours and contrast between the different subjects.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

leo61 (43476) 2006-07-22 12:19

Hu Attlia!
Good image of this verry impressive building.
And an excellent composition too,with good light and a verry nice foreground.Thanks for the interesting note.
Regards,Leo

rahul__rahul__ (2250) 2006-07-22 15:21

Hi Szili
nice picture, I like how that is offcentered and the colors and lighting are good. Nice note too. The only thing i dont like is the border.perhaps a simple one could give more attention to the image.
good job
tfs
rahul

donluicu (23927) 2006-07-23 4:40

Hello Attila
excllent image, and incredible "cae" in the desert...
you're note is very precise and interesting..
regards

loic

imrek (4) 2006-07-24 3:32

Hi Attila,
very nicely comosed shot with good sharpness and marvellous colours, thanks for interesting note!!!
regards,
imre

rosaline (0) 2006-07-24 3:37

Hi Szili
What a fantastic note and history to go with this shot. I have heard a lot about the silk road and the history of this part of the world, but your account is nice and comprehensive. Good shot too for us to appreciate the architecture of the time. Well done.
Aubrey

kermit350 (8988) 2006-07-24 9:17

Hello Szili, this sight is idyllic and a pleasure for the eyes, that nature is beautiful especially when the photographer is able to perceive and restore similar beauty, it y nothing with only saying admired, the note of the photographer is when with it exellente, sincerely

AiresSantos (42624) 2006-07-24 9:26

Hi Attila,
A succession of great registers in the Turkmenistan. Very well captured and framed this architectural structure. Excellent colours and definition.
Excellent and very complete note.
TFS and greetings my friend

elmec (12194) 2006-07-24 14:10

Hello Szili!
Great scene of ancient memories!
Very good light!
Great composition!
Best regards!

CRATEOS (7274) 2006-07-24 18:37

a perfect compination of history and modern art of fotografy a superb leveling coloring and of course light controle in this great foto!!1!!!! GNGRs my frend see you soon Nikiforos

Rev (1782) 2006-07-25 17:17

Hi Attila
Well taken photo showing the structures off beautifully.
Your POV and DOF along with the light and colour control are perfect.
Thanks for sharing
Regards
Peter

alekpet (4659) 2006-07-26 3:02

Hi Attila.

Oh, man, I wish you continue with posting picture of this wonderful, yet still undiscovered country. The framing and POV are simply perfect, lighting also. Five out of five for this image!

take care, Aleks

efigesta (12181) 2006-07-26 5:06

Hi my friend
great note here with a great shot, nice colors and an interesting pov
regards
manuel

Budapestman (42510) 2006-07-26 13:50

Szia Attila!
Látom, folytatod Türkmenisztán bemutatását. Fantasztikus élmény lehetett ebben az országban járni, elképesztő, milyen történelmi távlatokat mutat a fotód. Én szerényebb helyen jártam Kedvesemmel szabadságom alatt, Dánia és Svédország szépségeit fedeztük fel. További szép fotókat!
Gyuri

Angshu (33963) 2006-07-27 5:13

Hi Attila
Amazing piece of man made wonder you show here...the once mighty clay fort has obviously fallen prey to the elements. Excellent compo, even though the light is a bit harsh. Thanks for sharing the photos of Turkmenistan, which is so rare to see
Regards
Angshu

josepmarin (33955) 2006-08-01 11:47

Hi Attila,
A very interesting scene that shows these fantastic archaeological ruins to us. The green landscape of the oasis contrasts with the smooth tones of the walls of the fortress. The mausoleum in background to the right of the image seems a miniature, since the distance is not appraised well that separates buildings both.
Lighting and the shades by the low level of the sun are very good, and the smooth color of the sky is perfect.
I like the frame that you have put to the photo also.
Regards,
Josep

FORJP001 (3819) 2006-08-21 23:06

Hi Attila,

Very interesting photographer's note of an intriguing place and heriage site.

Jean-Pierre

arturo (31) 2006-08-29 16:48

Hi Attila,

looking at the some of the shades lenght it suggests some late afternoon time but there is still a lot of haze in the air...this thing in decay looks big and your excellent note gives us some proper history lesson...the angle and composition are well chosen to show this immense structure against its current surroundings...laying forgotten in a semi arid land...cheers, arturo

guillaumejm (30) 2006-09-02 10:43

Hello
Very interresting note. I like the POV and framing of this picture.
Best regards
JMarc

paura (38906) 2006-09-20 8:16

Incredible place, Attila.
I would like to look it at the Google Earth. I will try to find it there, friend.

Very nice shot.

Paulo

sergio1 (12150) 2006-10-18 6:37

Hi Attila,

lovely shot and great compot to this monument.
I like the perspective.
Well done
Sergio

meyerd (1498) 2006-12-29 5:26

Hello Attila,
I have seen this pic too late. I posted mine, of the same Kyz Kala, today. But the light and the composition of your pic is much better, more interesting. And your note is much appreciated. Thanks!
Cheers, Dietrich

Fevzi (123) 2006-12-29 14:55

Great capture Attila. Sultan Sanjar's tomb in the distance ads to the composition.

silycat (607) 2007-01-20 18:47

Hi!
This photo has been chosen by me to represent country in which it was taken in thema "Around the world", it is a very good and sucesful capture and excellent photo!

coco (27978) 2009-06-30 1:52

Hi Atus.

Well seen and well composed. Anyway, it's a pity because you shot against the Sun and the light is not the best possible.

Thanks for sharing.