Photos

Travels on the Silk Road: Samarqand

Samarqand has been a river oasis since time immemorial. The strategic position smack on the Silk Road had armies and empires come and go since the Macedonian conqueror Alexander. Much of what can be seen today is "post Genghis Khan". The local Timurid dynasty started with Amir Temur (=Tamerlane) in the 14th century. He and his successors created a giant empire with Samarqand as its capital---and centre of the Universe, world centre of science as they saw it.

Here I show a pishtak (=door) to the inner court of the Gur Amir (Tomb of the ruler) In Samarqand, erected 1403 on the orders of Amir Temur (Tamerlane) for himself.

The blue and turqueoise glazed tiles made Central Asia world famous. In this building they are attached onto sculpted marble (!) and have always had a hard time staying.

In the workshop section I present another view.


The slide was scanned, the scan straightened, contrat enhanced, sharpened in PS.