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History of Uzbekistan Culture heritage Religion
Cultural heritage
Uzbekistan, with its ancient history, is extremely rich in cultural monuments. Traces of active historical development of nations once upon a time inhabiting this country have been found. This land has preserved diverse traces of human stay remains of constructions, household objects, objects of work and culture in their various forms.
During the years of independence many major archaeological monuments of the Stone Age, of Bronze and Early Iron centuries have been discovered and investigated throughout Uzbekistan. They have allowed restoring the history of the unwritten past of the people of our country. These findings allow tracking the thousand-year development of Central Asia civilization since its setting by primitive people.
The site in Selengur grotto (Ferghana region) dated the beginning of Low Paleolith (1-1,5 million years back) is considered to be the most ancient archaeological monuments of Uzbekistan. Among other monuments of the Stone Age, we can name the site in Teshik-Tash grotto with the unique burial of a Neanderthal boy and petrogliphs of the Neolith epoch in the Zaraut-say grave (Surkhandarya region of Uzbekistan). The greatest numbers of samples of this most ancient form of art are concentrated in the ravine of Sarmysh-say (canyon near the city of Navoi).
Monuments of the epoch of Eneolith and bronze (3rd - beginning of the 1st thousand B.C.) Sapali-tepa and Djarkutan (Surkhandarya), discovered in the south of Uzbekistan, testify to the high development of town-planning. Composition of these historical monuments proves the availability of complex planning structure.
The antique monuments (end of the 4th century B.C. - 4th century A.D.) Koy-Krilgan-qala, Toprak-qala (Khorezm), Dalverzin-tepa, Kampyr-tepa, Old Termez, Khalchayan (Northern Baktriya, Surkhandarya,) and etc., related to the epoch of the advanced statehood occupy an exclusive place in the history of Uzbekistan.
Their excavations have allowed revealing the urban structure, fortification and architecture, main occupations of the population. This period stands out for the high achievements in the field of a creative art that, after borrowing some features of the Hellenistic culture, continued development in its own way.
Functioning of the Great Silk Road, the first transcontinental road in the history of the humankind that connected the East and the West was one of the major conditions cultural prime at that time.
Great significance must be attached to early medieval monuments (5th-7th centuries A.D.): palace on the Afrasiab, palace in Varakhsha (Bukhara) and Balalyk-tepa manor (Surkhandarya), where unique in content and decoration wall paintings have been discovered.
Triumph of Islam (since the 8th century A.D.) has introduced new elements into Uzbekistan culture, has almost completely changed its character and content. This epoch is marked by high achievements in the field of architecture, applied arts and architectural decor.
Bright evidence to this provided by the huge medieval cities (Afrasiab, Bukhara, Old Termez, Khiva, etc.) and preserved architectural monuments genuine masterpieces of architecture: Samanids mausoleum in Bukhara (10th century A.D.) and Arab-ata mausoleum in Timm (near Samarkand, 977); mosques and minarets; Registan Square in Samarkand and Amir Temur's Palace (Aq-Saray, 1380-1404) in Shakhrisyabz and other numerous architectural monuments of Bukhara, Khiva, Samarkand, Tashkent and Termez.
Source: www.culture.uz
ANTIQUITY
Central Asia is one of the most ancient regions inhabited by man and one of the oldest centers of human cultures, as attested by numerous relics.
The territory of present day Uzbekistan was the crossroads of Euro-Asia and a branch of the ancient Silk Road. It connected Europe and China, passed through the oasis settlements of Kokand, Samarkand and Bukhara.
In Samarkand region archeologists have discovered an area where primitive men lived more than 10,000 years ago. In the South of Uzbekistan a skeleton of the ancient man and some remarkable rock drawings were discovered.
Traces of primitive men have also been found near Tashkent, in Khorezm and in the Kara-Kalpak region.
In antiquity, the peoples of Central Asia maintained trade and cultural relations with the peoples of China, India, Iran, the Arab countries, the Mediterranean area, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Siberia.
From 800 B.C. to 500 A.D. Central Asia witnessed the rise and fall of the various ancient states including Bactria, Sogdiana and Khorezm, the state of the Achaemenids, Alexander the Great, (Selivkids) Graeco-Bactrian, Parthian and Kushan Kingdoms.
The periods of economic upsurge experienced by the people living on the territory of present-day Uzbekistan alternated with periods of great economic oppression and deprivation connected with the history of wars and conquests that destroyed whole towns and villages. Foreign invasions brought untold destruction. In the 6th century B.C. Central Asia was conquered by Cyrus, founder of the Persian Empire. In 330 B.C. the Persian Empire was destroyed by Alexander the Great. The Greco-Bactrian state came into existence, which incorporated the greater part of present-day Uzbekistan.
The Kushan kingdom existed in the lst-4st centuries A.D. In subsequent centuries Central Asia was the scene of struggle of many nomadic Turkic tribes which invaded it from the North.
Alexander the Great was the first world conqueror and one of the most remarkable men in history. The son of Philip Macedon, an excellent commander and organizer Alexander brought Greek ideas and the Greek way of doing things to all the countries that he conquered. He was born in 356 and died in 323 B.C. His mother, Olimpias, princess of Epirees, was brilliant and hot-tempered. Alexander inherited the best qualities of both his parents.
Alexander the Great was an ambitious imperator. He decided to conquer Persia. This had been part of his father's plan. In spring of 336 B.C. he crossed the Hellespont (Dardanell) with an army. His army won a victory over the Persians on the bank of the Gracicus River. This victory opened the road to Asia Minor.
Before the summer of 327 he had once more crossed the Hindu-Kush mountains on this way to India. It was the beginning of the crash of Alexander's army. Alexander left some of his soldiers in Middle Asia and because of this the legend says, some Uzbek people appeared with green eyes and blond hair.
THE TURKIC KAGANATE
The Turkic Kaganate, a huge Turkic state appeared in 500-600 A.D. as a result of the union of diverse nomadic tribes and peoples of the Altai. During the 6th century the tribes extended their rule over the territory of Central Asia. It was a period of the assimilation of various ethnic groups of the kaganate and the formation of large and small alliances of tribes with related languages and dialects. The kaganate played a great role in uniting and consolidating nomadic speaking Turkish which roamed and settled down in the Central Asian steppes and oases.
ARABS AND ISLAM
At the, end of the 7th century and the beginning of the 8th century the Arab conquerors under Emir Kotaibe Ibn Muslim conquered Khorezm (Khiva) and Sogdiana (Samarkand, Bukhara). Under the Abbasid caliphs of Baghdad, the Arabian influence became dominant in the oasis cities of Central Asia. About 874 the country was conquered by the Samanid dynasty from Balkh. In 999 a Turkic Karakhanid dynasty, the first to embrace Islam, supplanted the Samanids in Samarkand and Bukhara. The new rulers even pushed down south of the Amu Darya, but they were stopped by Makhmud of Ghazn and then that river became the dividing line between Iran and Turan.
THE SAMANID DYNASTY
Ismail Samanid is the representative of the Eastern dynasty that ruled in 819-999 over the vast territory of Mavara-Un-Nahr (the Arabic name of the territory between the Amy-Darya and Syr-Darya rivers in Central Asia since the Vllth century A.D.).
Ismail Samanid reigned from 892 till 907. It was he who erected this marvellous Mausoleum over his father's grave. This has been testified by the archeological excavations held in 1926-1928. It has been established that there were several graves inside the Mausoleum, and the grave of Ismail himself was situated aside at the entrance. Next to him his son and grandson were buried.
CHINGGIS KHAN
The collapse of the Arab Caliphate led to the resurrection of the independent statehoods in Central Asia. Between the 9th and 15th centuries a succession of the large independent feudal states replaced one another in Central Asia: the monarchies of Samanids, Seljuks, Khorezmshah and Timurlane empire. The rule of the Samanids was marked by a great upsurge in economy and culture in Khorosan and Mavara-Un-Nahr. Under the Khorezmshahs the country's economy, science and culture continued to develop. The conquest of Central Asia by Makhmud of Ghazn in the 10th century, by the Karakhanids at the end of the 10th beginning of the 11th centuries and by Chinggis Khan at the beginning of the 13th century brought sufferings to the peoples inhabiting the territory of Central Asia. Many towns were reduced, thousands of peasants .and craftsman were either killed or driven into slavery. But these rulers established huge, centralized states at these periods.
TIMUR, THE RULER OF MAVARA-UN-NAHR
Timur was born in the village of Khodja-Ilgar, near Shahrisabs. He was the son of Amir Taragay, who was from Barlos tribes. Since his teena-gerhood Timur knew much about military training and took part in civil wars.
He was promoted in the period of invasion to Mavara-Un-Nahr, Mugulistan Khan Tuglug-Timur, who twice in 1360 and 1361 t ried to subordinate this rich country and reached Kesh. Timur's uncle Hodji Barlos was the ruler of Kesh, but after defeating with Tuglug-Timur, Hoji Barlos ran away and Tuglug-Timur made Timur the ruler of Kesh, instead of his uncle Hodji Barlos. Tuglug-Timur sent his son
Ilias-Hodi as a ruler to Mavara-Un-Nahr, but Timur didn't wish to work for him. After the death of Tuglug-Timur his son was outed from Mavara-Un-Nahr, and Turkish amir Kozagon's grandson Husein helped him. They became relatives, Timur was married to his sister Uljoi-Turkon. In 1370, Timur invaded Balkh, Husein was killed by Huttalan's ruler Kaihosrav, he was the ally of Timur.
In the second half of the 14th century the conqueror Timur, having firmly established himself as an absolute ruler had chosen Samarkand as his capital city, started campaigns against other states. A prominent military commander and outstanding but firm and resolute statesman Timur became the ruler of Mavaraunnahr in 1370. His rule and the rule of his descendants Shokhrukh, Ulugbek and Bobur were marked by the growth of productive forces, the development of irrigation, arts and crafts, trade and flourishing of the literature, science and art of ancient Samarkand and Mavaraunnahr.
RUSSIAN RULE
In the 1860s and 1870s the Kokand and Khiva Khanates as well as the Bukhara Emirate and other lands of Central Asia were conquered into the Russian Empire, thus forming the Turkestan General-Governorship.
Turkestan became Russia's principal supplier of cotton. Large tracts of irrigated land were turned into cotton plantations. A new type of exploiter, the agent who purchased cotton for industrial capital, appeared on the scene.
Tsarism had absolutely no intention of introducing a new progressive order in Turkestan and thus promote the all round growth of its economy, science and culture. Its prime concern was to open the way for Russia to turn the territory of Turkestan into a source of raw materials and cheap labour. The working masses of Turkestan came under the double yoke of exploitations by the local rich and by the Russian capitalists and officials
THE INFLOW OF RUSSIANS INTO CENTRAL ASIA
During the colonialization of Central Asia a large number of people moved from Russia's internal regions into this area. The inflow of Russians into the Central Asia welled particularly following the completion in 1899 of the Transcaspian and in 1906 of the Orenburg railways. They settled down in towns, got jobs, at enterprises or engaged in various crafts or trade. A part of them went to live in the rural districts, where they took up farming on the newly developed lands. New towns were built and new districts appeared in the old towns of Turkestan.
REVOLUTION IN UZBEKISTAN
The local working people came under the influence of the revolutionary Russian proletariat. Turkestan became an autonomous Republic within the RSFSR. Still the Emirate of Bukhara and the Khiva Khanate remained independent states during several years.
During the revolutionary years some part of Uzbek intelligentsia did not accept the Russian Revolution and undertook measures to prevent it. The opposition considered that the young Turkestan Republic should have its own national way of future development connected with his historical past, mentality of its people etc. The opposition was connected with basmachi movement.
Russian Red Army under the leadership of M. Frunze, M. Bu-denny, V. Kuibishev confronted extended armed resistance with much bloodshed. At the end the basmachi movement suffered a defeat and the country was proclaimed the Uzbek SSR in October 1924.
The first Constituent Congress of Soviets of the Uzbek SSR was convened in Bukhara in 1925. This Congress adopted a declaration laying down that the Uzbek SSR was voluntarily to be a constituent part of the USSR. In May 1925 the 3-d all-union Congress of Soviets admitted Uzbekistan into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as an equal Republic.
Having become a member of the USSR it pooled its resources with those of other republics. Uzbekistan has been provided with ample opportunities for accelerating economic and cultural progress.
THE SOVIET PERIOD
Great deal has been accomplished during the Soviet period. First of all poverty and illiteracy and all forms of oppression and exploitation have been overcome.
The Communist party became the guiding force of the Soviet society in all its spheres: culture, economy, science etc.
It is necessary to say that during the Soviet power the appearance of Uzbekistan, the Uzbek cities, towns, kishlaks have changed greatly.
New relations among people have been established. The development of the economy increased. The highest yields of cotton have been obtained. The modern transport system was built in Tashkent.
The Communist Party has awakened the political and labour activity of the masses and mobilized them for the fulfillment of the plans of socialist construction and for the decisive economic, social and cultural transformations.
The ideas of the Communist party were to built "a new society, the like of which mankind has never known before. It was designed to be a society with a crisis-free, steadily growing economy, mature socialist relations and genuine "freedom". But all these communist prospects failed.
THE INDEPENDENCE OF UZBEKISTAN
The Supreme Council of the Republic of Uzbekistan on its special session announced the declaration of Independence of Uzbekistan on the 1st of September 1991. Uzbekistan was solemnly proclaimed as a sovereign democratic Republic.
Karakalpak Republic is a separate part within the borders of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan has not any claims to other states and is the owner of its territory, natural resources and deposits.
The owners of the state power are the independent people of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan has its own system of governing, its national state and official bodies of ruling.
The Republic of Uzbekistan provides equal political and social, economic, cultural opportunities to all nations living on its territory.
Uzbekistan recognizes all international laws and degrees functioning in other states. Today Uzbekistan is recognized as the independent State by many other states and it is paving its way towards independence and freedom.
Uzbekistan has opened its Embassies in a number of countries and many Embassies are functioning in Tashkent today.
The 1st of September is announced as the Independence Day of Uzbekistan and is celebrated as a holiday.
Source: Uzbekistan and Uzbeks by L.T. Bobokhonova, C.D.Bekturganova History of Uzbekistan Culture heritage Religion
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