THE HISTORY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPEDITIONS CONDUCTED IN SAMARKAND

Аннотация

Samarkand is one of the most ancient cities in Uzbekistan, with a rich history. The archaeological study of this area and the results of the research are discussed in this article. Keywords: Afrosiyob, N.V. Khanikov, V.V. Krestovsky, shurf, "excavation" works, Marokand, defense duty. For the past 150 years, Samarkand has attracted the attention of archaeologists, historians, orientalists, and other enthusiasts. It is worth noting that the study of the ancient history and culture of Sogdiana began with Russian scholars. The significant role of Samarkand in the history of Central Asia led to the early initiation of research activities in the region compared to other areas. The history of the study of Samarkand and Samarkand Sogdiana can be divided into three periods. Initially, Russian scholars, military personnel, and orientalists began their work by studying Afrasiab and its surroundings. In 1841, N.V. Kharikov, who visited the Bukhara Khanate, provided the topographic map of Samarkand and a classification of Afrasiab.1 After Samarkand was incorporated into the Turkestan General Governorship, archaeological research on Afrasiab began. Unfortunately, the first excavations carried out by military amateurs were more focused on the search for treasures. The excavations were conducted by digging deep pits, as at that time, archaeological excavation methods had not yet been developed2. 1 Абдураззак Самаркандий “Матлаи саъдайн ва мажмаи бахрайн”. Форс тожик тилидан А. Ўринбоев таржимаси. Тошкент.: ФАН, 1969. 462 б. 2 Соколовская Л.Ф. Некоторые итоги изучении керамики Афрасиаба XII веке \\ТД молодых ученых ИА АН РУз. Самарканд. 1993. С. 46-47. 92 ISSN (E): 2992-9148 SJIF 2024 = 5.333 ResearchBib Impact Factor: 9.576 / 2024 VOLUME-2, ISSUE-10 Later, V.V. Krestovskiy, through excavations at Afrasiab, identified the presence of Hellenistic layers at the site. However, the methods of that time did not meet the archaeological excavation standards. In 1883, the famous Orientalist N.I. Veselovskiy conducted work at Afrasiab. However, the lack of archaeological experience affected the results of his research. The work he conducted can be explained by one piece of evidence: during his four- month fieldwork, Veselovskiy dug small trenches at 109 points of Afrasiab. This method was inconsistent with the excavation techniques required for large city ruins. Nonetheless, Veselovskiy produced an accurate topographical map of Afrasiab, which remains significant to this day. In 1894-1895, French archaeologist Shaffanjon carried out “excavations” at Afrasiab. Unfortunately, his methods were destructive, as he blew up cultural layers and then collected the materials. The materials he collected are currently housed in the Gime Museum in Paris. In the following years, S.M. Gorshenina took up the study of Samarkand and its surroundings. The work of V.L. Vyatkin in the study of Samarkand and its surroundings should be especially noted. Vyatkin dated Samarkand to the 4th century BC and refuted the claim that it was referred to as Maracanda in ancient sources. Thus, until the 1930s, the study of Afrasiab by Russian scholars was based on primitive methods, consisting mainly of initial research. The second period of the study of Samarkand and its surroundings spans the 1930s to the late 1960s, and it can be divided into two stages. During the first stage of this period, the quality of archaeological research greatly improved. Excavations were conducted not only at Afrasiab but also in surrounding areas. During this time, G.V. Grigoryev’s research in studying the ancient and medieval cultures of the area was highly significant. In the 1930s-1940s, he carefully excavated and stratigraphically analyzed the Toli Barzu site located southeast of Samarkand. Many of his scientific works remain relevant today. Grigoryev's work was the first scientifically methodical excavation in Samarkand. He was the first to highlight that the Dargom Canal had been manually dug and proved that natural streambeds were sometimes used during its construction. In the second stage of this period, the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR opened a base in Samarkand, led by A.I. Terenojkin. He soon developed the initial stratigraphy of Afrasiab's ancient culture by cleaning up the old excavations, a classification that later led to significant debates. The mistakes and shortcomings made during that time were later corrected by Terenojkin himself. His main contribution was the identification of cultural blocks in Afrasiab. A.I. Terenojkin 93 ISSN (E): 2992-9148 SJIF 2024 = 5.333 ResearchBib Impact Factor: 9.576 / 2024 VOLUME-2, ISSUE-10 was able to separate the columns of unmixing complexes in a stratigraphic context, and these columns continue to be used in the dating of Afrasiab to this day.3 The complexes found in the lowest layers of Afrasiab are designated as the Afrasiab 1 stage, corresponding to the Achaemenid period (6th-4th centuries BCE). The Afrasiab 2 and 3 stag