12 Section Geography

Section 2. Geography 

12

Section 2. Geography 

Berdiev Khayriddin Abdullayevich,

Researcher‑Tashkent state institute of oriental studies

E‑mail: [e-mail]

The historical and natural-geographical aspects of Nurota

Abstract: According to the researchers and archaeologists Nurota city (Uzbekistan)was built in the ancient century and 

here is preserved ruins of fortressof Nurand — wall of “Pirosta” (IV–VI centuries).

Around the Nurota oasis there are famous Sarmishsoy (approximately 6,000 rock paintings), Uchtut antique stone work-

shop. The toponym of Nurota is formed around the water source — spring, giving the beam that reaches to the heavens, the 

earth that is not found elsewhere. “A ray of divine” rises to the sky from “Chashma”, therefore curious tourists rush to see this 

unique appearance of nature.

Keywords: antique castle, ruins of “Nur” and “Pirosta”, Sarmishsoy, toponym of Nur, Chashma, source of “giving ray”, a 

place for tourists.

Toponymic objects and their names are valuable sources in the 

history of every nation. Uzbekistan is famous for one of the oldest 

sacred cities — Nurota. According to the archaeologists, Nurota 

city was built in the ancient century, and here are the ruins of the 

fortress Nur. The question of when there was a settlement Nur, has 

not yet been clarified.

The indigenous population of Central Asia, including Nurota, 

now speaks the languages belonging to two large language families: 

Altaic (Turkish languages) and the Indo-European (Iranian languag-

es). The Tajik language, which is spoken by the vast radical Iranian-

speaking population of the city Nurata refers to the western group 

of the Iranian languages. Nurota is known as Kalai Nur, “Nur of 

Bukhara” and Nurota. If we compare on the etymological compari-

sons Nurota city, the name “Kalai Nur” and the term “kala” means 

“fortified settlement on the hill” in Persian and means “castle on the 

hill” in Arabic [1, 42]. Thus, the term of “kala” — has many mean-

ings, and they are close in meaning. Then it turns out that the name 

of Nur existed before the arrival of the Arabs.

Nur fortress is formed around a water source — spring Chash-

ma, it is necessary for life inhabiting this area people. There are two 

historical phrase “nur” and “ata” in the name of “Nurota”. According 

to the etymological meaning of the first of them — “Nur” is associ-

ated with the theological aspect — power like the dawn, the beam 

of light and heat, and the second — “ata” is giving a ray source of 

water and life, “sacred place.”

“Nur” means “light” in Arabic. Local people say that the Tash-

kent is famous for an abundance of water and Bukhara is for its light. 

Before independence, Uzbekistan has used the term Nur Bukha-

ra, according to archeological, architectural and epigraphic data 

(there is a speech about the sources of the Persian and Arabic lan-

guages), and it appeared in the study of the ancient city of Nurota.

The researching of the ancient city of Nur, located in the foot-

hills of the Nurota range indicates that the chapel, mosque and 

madrasah repeatedly ruined fort during the Mongol yoke and again 

restored. Historical scientist Narshakhi says: “Nur is a vast area 

and it has a large mosque. The man, who visited to the area of Nur, 

equated to a person who has committed the Hajj. In honor of the 

returning from the holy place of worship human, city was colorfully 

decorated. In other areas of Nurata called “Nuri Bukhara”. Many of 

the followers of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad are 

buried here” [2, 81–82].

Written sources is not fully reflect the defense system of the settle-

ment of Nur, but however it is possible to do the analysis, that the 

fortress of Nur was well strengthened on the basis of available data. As 

a result of the invasion of enemy forces Nur settlement was destroyed 

several times. Locals were forced to leave their homes, prayer facilities 

and restores their home. In studying the history of defensive structures 

Sources can be local toponym like a spring Nur, well of Nurgulata, 

Nurbulak. Therefore, to provide water to the population during the 

long siege of the fortress, in the fortifications were provided tools in 

the form of wells (well of Nurgulata) and spring water Chashma.

The people of the Stone Ageleft petroglyphic archaeological 

monuments, which  is approximately 6,000  rock paintings  in the 

mountains of Vaush (Karatau) in Sarmishsoy such as the Sahara (Af-

rica), Altamira (Spain), cave drawings in France and other claims on 

outstanding rock painting in the world. In addition, there are petro-

glyphs of Takatash and Zangibaba near the town of Nurota (approxi-

mately 6–8 km) in the mountains of Aktau. In this region, scientists 

and archaeologists have found the remains of ancient stone work-

shops in the mountains of Vaush (Tau) and the hill of Chakmaktube.

Proceedings of the archaeological studies  indicate that tools 

found in this area, historical and cultural layer dates back to the Bronze 

Age. The research results indicate that the center of the ancient settle-

ment was a place of worship and conduct ceremonies. At this point, to 

this day remains of the defensive wall of the fortress Nurota — Pirosta 

wall. According to the issuing of the Uzbek researcher and archaeolo-

gist Yahyo Gulomov (1908–1977), the wall of Pirosta was built in 

the IV century BC and lasted until the reign of the Samanid dynasty 

(X century), and for 400 years served as a line of defense. Archaeo-

logical excavations of the ancient city ruins Nur showed that around 

the body of water source “Chashma” people lived in ancient times. 

According to Y. G. Gulomov in the distant past, access to the valley of 

Zarafshan was possible only through a mountain gorge of Ilon-Otti in 

Jizzakh city and through the Nur (Nurota), so Jizzakh and Nur as the 

major shopping sites and military-strategic points since ancient times 

been protected by powerful fortifications [3, 133].

According to other scientists — V. V. Bartold, Y. G. Gulomov, 

V. A. Shishkin, B. H. Karmyschev, H. Mukhamedov, L. Y. Mankovsky, 

The historical and natural-geographical aspects of Nurota

13

V. A. Nielsen, L. I. Rempel, O. M. Rostovtsev, the Nurota was the 

second Islamic center of the statein Bukhara Emirate in the XV–XIX 

century.

Nurota famous ancient and eternally alive the unique archi-

tectural and natural-geographic monuments. This city is evidence 

of active trade and economic contacts of the Middle Ages, keeps a 

“secret” stories that have yet to uncover. Until now, no one knows 

why the times of spring “Chashma” rises to the sky, “a ray of the 

divine”, therefore the most of tourists are hurrying to see this un-

usual appearance of nature.

In the folk legends and stories repeatedly mentioned that here 

arrived with his legions of the great military leader Alexander the 

Great. One day early in the morning, Alexander wanted to mow 

her hair and ordered to find a good local hairdresser master. Local 

master treated Alexander with tortilla after the breakfast, which they 

ate together. Hairdresser saw two horns on the head of the com-

mander during the haircut. To this mystery is not to disclose the 

Great wanted to cut off the head of a barber. But the barber told 

him that thetortilla made from the milk of his mother’s breast, and 

added that they are family. After that, the Great ordered the barber to 

take an oath that the mystery will reveal it to anyone. Master vowed 

andhe didn’t tell anyone about this secret until the end of his life, 

but one day he came to one of the wells, which grew reeds and sen-

tenced this mystery. Barber died, many years have passed and the 

local shepherds (the shepherds) of dewdrops reeds prepared local 

nay (whistle). And because the whistle went deep rhythmic ringing 

that Iskandar (Alexander) had two horns.” After this event, the well 

named “Iskandarquduq”. This a well on the outskirts of the city there 

to the present and in front of the locals becomes a “sacred place.”

The legends of Nurata oasis associated with Alexander of 

Macedon also, preserved in the place-objects — Iskandarquduq, 

Iskandarkul Zulmkyariz. The city’s name was Nurota commercial 

and strategic significance for the wide spread of Islam and Islamic 

traditions. Therefore, there is a “divine ray” in Nurata, which reaches 

up to the heavens, the earth, which is nowhere to be found, and this 

city is famous for the world’s Muslims is considered a sacred place 

of pilgrimage.

According to sources of the Middle Ages there are ancient and 

unique remains of hydraulic structures kyarizes about 300 (VII–XII 

centuries) in a mountain of Nurota. One of the ways of Great Silk Road 

paths crossed was the ancient city of Nur, because the city was very im-

portant strategic object on the road from Bukhara to Jizzakh.

As for the name of the object of Nur, it is likely Arabized trans-

formation of the ancient name of the object. Unfortunately substrate 

of the name has not been preserved. According to M. Iskhakova cen-

ter of the ancient city of Nur was a place of worship and conduct 

ceremonies. In it concluded primitive people’s ideas about the in-

tegrity of the universe, and their despair, the myths about green 

fragrant vast pastures of the well-fed and fat cattle, fed with moisture 

on the endless expanse of cultivated so forth [4, 63]. But before the 

arrival of the Arabs in Zoroastrian religion Mithra (god of fertility) 

≈ Mөһr (sun-light, the dawn) ≈ Ishtra associated with divine light, 

effulgence. This meaning has led to the fact that the image of Mithra 

merged with an image of the sun. In fact, Mithra is an independent 

deity in Zoroastrian tradition, genetically much older than in rela-

tion to the time Zoroastrian canon [5, 18].

Currently, the place of pilgrimage to the Nurota comes every 

year thousands of tourists. The city preserved the architectural and 

historical buildings, such as the famous old spring «Chashma» 

mosque of «Chilustun» (Forty-column) (IX–XX centuries), the 

Mosque of «Big Dome», «Sayidota», «Oqmasjid», «Bargsuz»  

(end of the XIX century), sauna of «Sudur Bobo». Nurota has 

been a particularly important strategic cultural facility for Muslims 

for thousands of years.

This city is evidence of active trade and economic contacts of 

the Middle Ages and keeps itself a “secret” history.

Thus, according to the value of the historical and natural-

geographic aspects of Nurota we can make conclusions follow-

ing items:

– Stored architectural structures in the city of Nurota, includ-

ing the wall of “Pirosta” (IV–X c) “Kalai Nur” (X–XIX cc) shows 

that, the city was a particularly important strategic cultural centerfor 

many centuries;

Nurota was the second center of Islamic rites and customsin the 

Emirate of Bukhara for thousands of years.

– Settlement of Nurremains “secret” passages of history itself, 

which has yet to be disclosed with its unique natural phenomenon, 

such as “Chashma” and the Mosque of “Chilustun”, “Pyandzhvahta”.

References:

1.  Rozenfeld A. Z. Qala –sort of Iranian location with castle//«Sovet Etnography», 1951, – № 1. – P. 42.

2.  Narshakhi. History of Bukhara. – Tashkent: «Kamalak», 1991. – P. 81–82.

3.  Gulyamov Y. G. Nur Bukhara//Ethnography and Archeology of Central Asia – Moscow: «Sience», 1979 – P.133.

4.  Iskhakov M. Avesto and its effect on the development of our life. – Tashkent – Urgench, 2001. – P. 63.

5.  Avesto: The book of Yasht. Translated by Mirsadik Iskhakov. – Tashkent: Orient 2001, – P. 18.