Merv

Animal Market Ashkabad Carpets Kunya Urgench Market Merv Turkmenbash

Merv

 

ancient city site

In the 11th century the Seljuk Turks appropriated Merv, an ancient city near Ashgabat, as the center of a dominion that stretched from Afghanistan to Egypt. Merv became one of the most important Muslim cities in the world.

 

Oldest fortification dating to Alexander the Great

In the autumn of 1220, Genghis Khan captured Termiz on the Oxus River (present-day Amu Darya) and in the early part of the winter was active in the upper reaches of that river in what is today Tajikistan.

 

 

Grand Kyz Kala
(7th century, used until the Seljuks, 11th century)

 

Small Kyz Kala

 At the beginning of 1221 he crossed the Oxus into northern Afghanistan and captured the ancient city of Balkh. Soon after the fall of Samarqand he had dispatched his elder sons north into Khwarizm to lay siege to Muhammad's capital. He now sent his youngest son into eastern Persia to sack and destroy the great and populous cities of Merv (now Mary, Turkmenistan) and Nishapur (now Neyshābūr, Iran).

 

land around the old mausoleums used as modern Muslim grave yard

 

Mausoleum of Muhammel ibn Zevdin
(12th century)

 

Muslin shrine where petitions are placed on the tree

 

caretaker of the shrine

 

his residence

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Bazar in the modern town of Mary

 

typical dwelling

 

child sleeping

 

his brother and sister

 

now tea hostesses

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Animal Market Ashkabad Carpets Kunya Urgench Market Merv Turkmenbash

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