Researches of the Bukhara Archaeological Expedition in Paikend

Archaeological excavations at Paikend, a medieval city-site in Uzbekistan's Bukhara oasis, reveal its significance as a key hub on ancient trade routes connecting China, the Near East, Eastern Europe, and India. Abandoned due to water scarcity in the Zeravshan River, Paikend was older than Bukhara, boasting one of the earliest Zoroastrian fire temples and formidable fortress walls earning it the moniker 'The City of Merchants.' Systematic excavations since 1981, led by the Bukhara Archaeological Expedition in collaboration with the State Hermitage Museum and the Institute of Archeology of Uzbekistan, uncovered the city's fortifications, citadel, residential quarters, bazaar, street networks, water systems, and two suburbs featuring early caravanserais. A 2011 exploration program further illuminated Paikend's early history from the Hellenistic period to the Hephthalites era (4th century BC–6th century AD), offering insights into the broader history of the Bukhara oasis.

Omel’chenko, A. (2019). Researches of the Bukhara Archaeological Expedition in Paikend. Vostok. Afro-Aziatskie Obshchestva: Istoriia I Sovremennost, (6), 85. https://doi.org/10.31857/s086919080007750-2