NATURAL GEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE MIYANKOL MICRO-OASIS

Аннотация

According to sources, the Miankol region is home to important ancient cities such as Ishtikhon, Sogarch, Ofarinkent, and Dahbed, which were strategic centers in their time. These cities served as the administrative, economic, trade, and cultural centers of the region. This article provides information about the geographic classification of the Miankol region, its territorial location, and strategic importance. Keywords: Zarafshan, Miankol, Ofarinkent, Sogarch, Ishtikhon, Okdarya, Koradarya, Samarkand, Nim Sogd, Sogdi Khurd, Daitiya, Samariya, Kandia, Ghurak, Ofarin, Farnkas, Chinese annals, Baburnama, Baburrahim Mashrab. In the territory of Uzbekistan, there are many historical and archaeological microregions, which have been studied in various ways. Particularly, many areas have been studied based on archaeological research and written sources, but some areas have yet to be fully explored. The Miankol region, located in Samarkand province, is one of these regions that has not been fully uncovered in historical terms. Looking at history, it is one of the important, yet insufficiently studied, areas. The ancient civilizations of the world, such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Harappa, were all located in great river basins, and these regions have had significant strategic importance in history, characterized by dense populations and well-developed trade and commerce. The Zarafshan River, located to the northeast of Samarkand city, divides into two branches at the Suvairigich (dam) near the Choponota hill. The northern branch is called Okdarya, and the southern one is called Koradarya (in Persian sources, Okdarya is referred to as "Daroyi Safed" and Koradarya as "Siyahobi Kalon"). The length of Okdarya is 130 km, while Koradarya is 127 km long. The widest point between the two branches is 15 km, located in the area of the Dovul village on the left bank of Koradarya. These two rivers meet again in the territory of the Khatirchi district of the Navoi region. This area is one of the most fertile and well-developed agricultural regions in the Zarafshan valley and has been historically known as the Miankol region. Today, it includes the Okdarya and Ishtikhon districts of Samarkand province, as well as the most important irrigated agricultural region of the 66 International scientific journal “Interpretation and researches” Volume 1 issue 5 (51) | ISSN: 2181-4163 | Impact Factor: 8.2 Kattaqorgon district. The length of the river is over 100 km, with a width of 15 km and an area of 1200 km². [1] Historically, this region has been known as the most prosperous, fertile, and agriculturally developed part of the Zarafshan valley. Miankol is one of the oldest regions in the Zarafshan valley. The name Miankol has been used for more than two thousand years, with the region being known by several names throughout history, and since the 16th century, it has been referred to as Miankol. The area has always stood out due to its unique geographic location and its role in socio-economic relations. In ancient times, the region, known as Sogdiana (Sugd), had several major cities, including Samarkand, situated between the branches of the Zarafshan River, namely the Okdarya and Koradarya. This area was known by names such as Sogd, Nim Sogd (Half of Sogd), and Sogdi Khurd (Small Sogd). The region was famous for its beautiful nature, clear mists, and hospitable people, leaving a significant mark in history. [2] In the "Kandia" ("Small Kand") book, it is stated that "villages around Samarkand, including Kesh, Nakhshab, Ishtikhon, and Sogarch, are part of this area." These cities were once under the control of the Sogdian state and are now being restored again, subject to Samarkand," [3] as mentioned in the sources. In the book Qandiya by Abu Hafs Najmuddin Umar an-Nasafi as-Samarqandi, information is provided about the Sogharj fortress and the local Burhaniddin Sogharji, who was born and raised there: "Sheikh Burhaniddin Sogharji was a descendant of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab. The reason for being named Sogharji is that when the Islamic army arrived in the Samarkand region in the 8th century, the Sogharj fortress was the largest after Samarkand and Bukhara. They began their march towards it and besieged the fortress. After a while, they captured it, and the management of the fortress was entrusted to Sheikh Sogharji's ancestors of that time." [4] Abu Tahir Khodja Samarkandi, in his work Sameriya, mentions: "The lands on the northern side of the Zarafshan (Kuhak) river are divided into two parts. One is the irrigation area, and the other is the steppe. The irrigation area directly connects to the Kuhak River and is further divided into two parts. The eastern part is called the Sugudi Kalon district, and the half part in Kunbotar is referred to as the Ofarinkent district." [5] According to information provided by Abulkarim as-Sam'ani, Sogharj was a village located five farsakh from Samarkand in the Sogdian region, in the Isti khon district, o