The Eski Ahsi (Ahsikent) is the largest archaeological site of the Ferghana Valley. Its ruins are located on the right bank of the Syrdarya River, 25 km far to south-west of the Namangan city, near the Gul-Qishlaq and Shahand villages. The Eski Ahsi Site is the ruins of the capital town of Ahsikent (Farghana), which consists of the remains of the citadel, inner city (shahristan), and the outer city or suburb (rabad).
The changing stages in the historical topography of this town are clearly seen archaeologically. In the beginning (3rd century B.C.) the town was consisted of two parts: the citadel and the inner town, which covered an area of 40 hectares, later, in the second century B.C. the craftsmen suburb with area of 10 hectares appeared. Now the town was consisted of three parts and covered area of more than 50 hectares. During the Early Medieval Period the town expanded to the east and covered the area of 70 hectares. During the Developed Medieval Period (9th-12th centuries A.D.) its area reached 400 hectares. Here the evolution of material culture from its beginning early periods up to the Developed Medieval Period can be observed. At this period the Ahsikent population gained such high level of development that they could produce high-quality steel called “bulat” and make various weapons from it.
The new project plans, in the first place, studying the town walls, gates, craftsmen quarters. Here all the historical sources including written, numismatic, epigraphic will be used for reconstruction of the real historical picture. Along with that the investigation will have a complex character, where for solution of the historical issues there will be cooperation between archaeology and other disciplines.
The results of the study will be published as a monograph and articles.
Some earlier publications on Ahsikent:
1. Анарбаев А. Ахсикет – столица древней Ферганы. Ташкент, 2013.
2. Anarbaev A., Matbabaev В. An Early Urban Necropolis in Fergana // Silk Road Art and Archaeology, №3. Kamakura, Japan, 1994. P. 223-249.
3. Saidov A., Anarbaev A., Goryacheva V. Fergana valley: The Pre-Colonial Legacy // Ferghana valley. The heart of Central Asia. New York, London, 2011. P.3-28.
4. Reren Т., Osorio A., Anarbaev A. Some notes on Early Islamic glass in eastern Uzbekistan // Glass along Silk Road from 200 BC to AD 1000. Germany, Mains, 2010. P.93-103.
Head of Tashkent department
Institute for Archaeological Research
Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences
Dr.A.Anarbayev
Tel number: +99898 124-22-79
E-mail: anarbaev-ahsi@mail.ru
