A SCHOLAR WHO ENRICHED THE TREASURY OF UZBEKISTAN’S MUSEUMS

Аннотация

Ушбу мақолада таниқли ўзбек археолог олими, академик Аҳмадали Асқаровнинг Ўзбекистон музейларини бойитишга қўшган хиссаси ёритилган. Музейлардаги олим томонидан топширилган ашёлар асосида яратилган экспозициялар ва улардагиноёб экспонатларга эътибор қаратилган. Калит сўзлар: музей, археология, олим, Аҳмадали Асқаров, бронза даври, ёдгорлик, деҳқончиликмаданияти,сополбуюмлар,қабр,заргарлик,топилма. Аннотация: В данной статье освещён вклад известного узбекского археолога, академика Ахмадали Аскарова в обогащение фондов музеев Узбекистана. Особое внимание уделено экспозициям, созданным на основе переданных ученым артефактов, а также уникальным экспонатам,представленнымв этих музеях. Ключевые слова: музей, археология, ученый, Ахмадали Аскаров, бронзовый век, памятник,земледельческая культура,керамика,могила,ювелирные украшения,находка. As any nation strives for development, it is natural to look back at history, study and preserve existing customs, traditions, and ancient monuments. In this regard, museums play an invaluable role. Museums serve as structured repositories of historical culture, enlightenment, and natural heritage from the past, systematically preserved and exhibited in accordance with established legal regulations. [1,–Р.17-18]. Museums can be classified into two types based on their structure: open-air museums and enclosed museums. One of the earliest open-air museums was established on the island of Skansen in 1891 by Artur Hazelius in Stockholm, Sweden. Over time, its name became synonymous with ethnographic museums in many European languages. Open-air museums include historical cities and architectural monuments under the open sky within our country. Examples of such sites include the ancient cities of Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva, Shahrisabz, Kokand, Tashkent, and others, where historical architectural monuments, archaeological sites, andremnants ofancient settlementsfrom past centuries have been preserved. One of the distinctive features of open-air museums is their varying spatial dimensions. In such museums, visitors often have theopportunity to touch and interact with certain exhibits, allowing them to gain a more immersive understanding of the past. These institutions serve as a bridge between historical heritage and the modern world, enhancing the connection between different eras. 308 Volume 4, issue 2, 2025 Uzbek archaeologist academician Akhmadali Askarov, throughout his long-standing career, not only dedicated himself to the field of archaeology but also placed significant emphasis on the preservation and exhibition of artifacts discovered at historical sites. He regarded this mission as a fundamental responsibility toward his homeland. This can be seen in the artifacts entrusted by Ahmadali Askarov to the major museums of our country, which have been preserved and are continuously exhibited in their collections. It is appropriate to mention several specific museums as examples inthis context. In the ancient material culture monuments of Uzbekistan, many monumental architectural objects, residential complexes, various handicraft production sites, baths, temples, mosques, city defense walls, and communal infrastructure elements such as ceramic pipes, canals, and irrigation systems are being uncovered every year during archaeological excavations. However, dueto natural weathering and degradation, these artifacts are not turning into museumexhibits. It is a sad reality that, instead of being scientifically and technically restored through chemical restoration and conservation methods, many of these items are deteriorating and eventually being lost,without ever beingpreserved as historical and ethnographic museum exhibits. Akhmadali Askarov, particularly from the mid-1970s when he served as the director of the Samarkand Archaeological Institute, paid special attention to this area. An example of his work can be seen in the Afrаsiyab ancient monument and the Registan ensemble. He was able to substantiate the necessity of transforming the large archaeological site of Afrаsiyab, located in the Samarkand region, into an open-air museum. Sufficient and well-founded information on this mattercan beobtained bystudying thedocuments available in thescholar's personal archive. The need to preserve and restore material cultural heritage remains a relevant issue not only for the 1970s but also today, requiring the involvement of restoration specialists and specialized laboratory facilities. Following the establishment of the Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, a special department was created under the initiative of Akhmadali Askarov to develop methods for the chemical stabilization and conservation of archaeological sites.This department continues to operateeffectively to thisday. At the initiative of Ahmadali Askarov, a number of works have been carried out on the issue of "turning the ancient city of Afrasiab in the Samarkand region into an open-air museum." For the