Registan Ensemble

Registan Ensemble

During centuries Registan Square was the centre of Samarkand. The word Registan means “sandy place”. There was a river running there many ages ago, before building the first Madrassah on the square. Years passed, the river dried out and left a lot of sand there, which was the first place where the first Madrassah was built in the beginning of the 15th century and named Registan square. As the Madrassah was first built, all the holidays, parades, festivals and Sunday bazaars took place on it. The ensemble consists of three Madrassah: Ulugbek Madrassah (15th century), Sher – Dor Madrassah (17th century) and Tilla-Kari Madrassah (gold covered) (17th century). Madrassah– is the Muslim high educational institution. Only the boys from reach families studied there. The training lasted for 10, 12, 20 years. It was up to the discipline the student selected. The main discipline for all of them was Learning Koran. The rest of the subjects were not obligatory and could be selected by students.

The Ulugbek Madrassah was built by the Ulugbek’s order and guidance. It lasted only three years from 1417 to 1420. When the madrassah was constructed, Ulugbek gave lectures on mathematics and astronomy till his death.
Two years later, the ruler of Samarkand Yalangtush Bahadur ordered to build the copy of the Madrassah, and the second Sher-Dor Madrassah was built opposite it. The only difference was that it had two more winter teaching halls, but the main structure was the same as in Ulugbek Madrassah.

Several years later, the same ruler of Samarkand ordered the third Tilla-Kari Madrassah. Its outward is the same as those two other madrassah, but coming in you’ll see a one story building. To make the architectural ensemble, the architecture made two floors on the outside but only one inside. Madrassah was always built by one project – four-cornered yard with four terraces and cells along the whole perimeter. The main entrance was always locked with lattice and two other entrances were used by purpose. The doors in cell were always low because “Islam” means “obedience”, that is why everyone who entered or went out of cell always had to bow, it was like greeting and wishing health to everyone.

Only Tilla-Kari Madrassah was bult like madrassah, but was used mostly as mosque; just looking at minarets you can see this, Tilla-Kari has low minarets to call people to pray.

In 17th century Till-Kari mosque and Madrassah was the biggest mosque in Samarkand. Right up to 19th century Madrassah and Madrassah-mosque was used by purpose, and only from the beginning of 20th century till now they serve as monuments.

“Eden of Ancient East”, “Precious Pearl of Islam World”, “Rome of East”, “RuiZamin”-“Face of Earth”-with such magnificent names poets, historians, medieval geographers of Iran, India, China, Byzantium and Egypt called Samarkand. Even though such magnificent description of Samarkand saw many sites of fire and destructions, which left their sign in history.It was called Mukatta. And also in the western side of madrasah, honako and caravanserai in Registan Enseble, he had “Khammomi Mirzoi” built that was perfect not only in Samarkand but also in the East and differed from another khommoms (bath) completely. There are following information in “Baburnama” about this building: “ MirzoUlugbek built a temperate khammam (bath) in this madrassah and honako . It was well-known Mirzoi khammom. There is not such khammom not only in Khurason but also in Samarkand”. Registan Ensamble was main social centre of Samarkand during Mirzo Ulugbek’s period. The meetings were organized, the decrees were declared, “Iyd al-Fitr and Iyd al-Adha” holidays were held here.

Registan square is still reconized as a unique example of art. In order to rebuild the buildings of Registan Ensamble Emir Yalantush-biy Bohadur built Sherdor Madrasah and Tilla-Kori Madrasah in XVII century. The fame of Registan square is heightened and Registan square became more and more attractive.

Mirzo Ulugbek Madrasah

Compounding Registan square began with the order of Mirzo Ulugbek to built madrassah. Madrassah was built in 1417-1420 and its yard is about 81 by 56 m field. The designer of this madrassah was Kavomiddin Sheroziy who was a famous scientist at that time, several architectural ensembles that were built for the rulers of Khirat belonged to his creative works. Ulugbek Madrassah is outstanding example of the ancient monuments of the East as the architecture work. Only Ulugbek madrassah from all buildings that were built in XV century arrived till now, even it is a little bit destructed. The madrassah is two storey and there are 55 hujras (room) and large classrooms at four corners and iwans. 2-3 students lived and studied in the special hujras (rooms). Every room had three types of functions (to study, to live, to keep necessary things).

Subject work-outs were held for particular groups in the classrooms. The mosque was located between two classrooms were at the western part. It had two doors which they served to connect the classroom and the yard.

Madrassah has high portal. Its side walls were decorated with large geometric patterns. In general, the madrassa has rich patterns and bricks and the patterns of marble carving. This gave attractive look to the madrassah.

Multifarious, five-finger images and ayahs of Koran that were written with (suls script) in the pattern reports about MirzoUlugbek’s wise. High minarets in the four corners of the madrassah make the building so attractive and personable.

This madrassah that was built by order of Mirzo Ulugbek was an institute of higher education that had all opportunities, was the first educational establishment in the East. And also, it was well-known as Mirzo Ulugbek’s Academy all over the world. In order to prove our opinion it is enough to give european famous writer, philosopher and historian scientist Wolter’s following thought: “MirzoUlugbek who was throned after the Great Temur in Transaksoniya established the first academy in Samarkand. He participated in composing the astronomical tables”.

Mirzo Ulugbek taught over several scientists (scholars) in this academy. Famous Samarkand Observatory became the learning secrets of universe centre for masters and apprentices. In addition, madrassahs in Bukhara Gijduvan were the branches of academy in the capital.

On the second floor of an entrance, portal madrassah there was an extensive library in which books collected by Amir Temur and its successors were stored. Here all conditions for activity of scientists and teachers madrassah have been created. Mirzo Ulugbek personally talked to each of scientists and having convinced of perfection of its knowledge supposed to teaching activity. From known scientists of that time here taught such as: Mavlyano Muhammad Havofy, Kazizada Rumy, Giyasiddin Dzhamshed, Muiniddin Koshy and others. Along with other scientists here taught various disciplines as both Ulugbek, and its pupil Ali Kushchi.

The most outstanding scientific achievements of Ulugbek and its colleagues - definition of a shine of an arch of one degree, led to the algebraic equation of the third degree. Definition of coordinates of many settlements, drawing up of perfect star tables into which 1018 stars have entered, definition with split-hair accuracy of duration of solar year – 365 days, 6 hours, 10 minutes and 8 seconds, (a difference with the modern data of 58 seconds), declination ecliptic concerning the Earth and definition of an orbit of 5 planets. As a result, Samarkand has turned to the centre of studying of the exact sciences.

Training in madrassah proceeded in three stages: the first – «ando» or «a small step» - the initial stage. The second stage is «avsat» or "average", the third – «a’lo» i.e. the "higher" stage. In time pupils studied at each stage on 4 – 5 years. For good study received the grant. As a reminder by the pupil about their debt, over an input in each cell has been established a mosaic panels with khadis – saying of Prophet Mohammed «the Debt of everyone devout – aspiration to knowledge» or «From a cradle to a tomb aspire to knowledge». "Sanad" - the diploma was handed over to graduates after the termination of study. Training in madrassah was free and was carried out at the expense of incomes from vakhf.

Madrassah Sherdor

The history of Samarkand is closely connected with the activity of Yalangtushbiy Bahodir who was originated from olchin tribe and who was a representative of Uzbek aristocrats in the first half of the 17^th century. In ashtarkhenid’s period the volume of building increased with the impact of Yalangtushbiy Bahodir in Samarkand. By the order and by the guidance of the generous and the well-educated governor, being conducted of the work of reconstruction of Mirzo Ulugbek madrassah where is on Registan Square and xonakhoh which was destroyed fully, xammom Mirzoyi and two huge buildings Sherdor madrassah (1619-1636) and Tilla Kori madrassah-mausoleum (1646-1660) were established. In the replace of the destroyed xonakoh which had a big –cupola and its diameter 15 meters Sherdor madrassah was built as a copy which is located just opposite of Mirzo Ulughbek madrassah. Although the portal part of Sherdor madrassah looks like Mirzo Ulugbek’s Madrassa with its portal ,but it differs from each other by the quality of finishing works. The surface of Sherdor Madrassah is 70x57m, it is a rectangular form, its yard is surrounded by two-storey hudjras (cells), the number of them is 52, and the darskanas (classrooms) are situated at the corner of the yard. But in this historical monument there is no mausoleum; southern-western darskhana was considered as a ziyoratkhana (premises), because outside the tomb of Imam Mukhammad ibn Ja’fari Sodik was connected. The minaret and the cupola of Sherdor Madrasah looks like Ulugbek Madrassah, but backside of facades is surrounded by guldasta minarets.

Tilla Kori madrassah

Ten years later, after building Sherdor madrassah by Yalangtush-biy Bakhodur, because of no chance to reconstruct Caravanserai which was built by Mirzo Ulugbek, Yalangtush-biy had madrassah-mosque built instead of caravanserai. Later it was called Tilla Kori (decorated with gold). After completing the construction of Tilla Kori, Registan Square formed a perfect architectural ensemble. The architect of this building linked the building to other madrassah in order to provide complete ensemble. During the construction architectural rules from that time were not used. The architect built the madrassah’s façade long.

General composition of mosque of madrassah-mosque was to take central role, but the architect did not want that there was one central yard in symmetrical area. Architectural façade of Tilla Kori madrassah is the same with two madrassahs. The mosque is located in the west from the main and surrounded one storied khudjras (rooms).

Main façade was built two-storied and this provides the greatness and beauty of Mirzo Ulughbek and Sherdor madrassahs. In order to be symmetry in the courtyard a portal was built in every middle part of façade. Along western façade there is a big mosque. In the center of the mosque there is a “mihrab” the direction to Mecca and to right side of the Mihrab there is marble stairs Minbar (elevation for the preacher)

Main rooms, even marble izoras (the lower decorated part of the wall) were decorated with patterns and gold. Under the care of our first president Islom Karimov, the first floor of the Ulugbek madrassah was reconstructed again and the madrassah was gained the former condition. The reconstruction works held very well on the Sher Dor and Ulugbek madrassahs.

The town and museum of Afrasiyab.

Afrasiyab is an archaeological memory which informs about the history of Samarkand. The square is 219 hectare of an ancient city. The archaeologists clarified 11 cultural stratums are here. We may distinguish powerful fortresses ruins, ancient defense walls, and channels which were there, actually in the modern places of city. Sh.Toshkhujayev, Y.Gulomov, M.Isomitdinov, B.B.Bartola, and V.L.Vyatkinov investigated excavation regularly in Afrasiyab. The special group of archaeologists was organized in 1958 in Samarkand. According to this, the ancient history and different places information are gathered. The expedition has determined an excavation more than 50 things for 30 years. The archaeological period of Afrasiyab was clarified and also different geographical plan of the city was structured. The architecture, financial and spiritual culture, production, numismatics are gathered and generalized. The most famous patterns are found which belonged to that period. The articles and monographs were published. The Uzbek-France expedition has been working since 1989 in Afrasiyab. Samarkand state museum-the expedition of sanctuary begun working in 2010.They learned it to be built in the late of 8 century and 3-2 B.C. The archaeological founds are kept in Afrasiyab museum of the west side of city. First, Afrasiyab museum opened on 24 October in 1970 as Samarkand museum. The archaeological places, administrative monument relief map was organized in 19 century. Ancient things are put into place in the first hall room of Afrasiyab museum. The first century of historical things are being shown in the second hall. One of the most valuable jug which informed about Samarkand’s 2750 years history. Regarding jug to the late of 8 century and the early of 7 century in B.C Period in history. In addition, the model of large jug, 6-4 century B.C dishes, metal and stone objects are placed there. The market of defense walls, weapons, coins, plates, stone and wood things which belonging to B.C era of 3-6 centuries are placed in the third hall of the museum. All showing objects of Samarkand are setting to show the cultural life in 1-4 CENTURY B.C where situated in the fourth hall of the museum. Objects are depend on fire and ancestor’s spirit. In addition, The picture of wall dancer sculpture, writing of sugd, skin, the stone of balance, iron, bone things are placed here. Exactly in the fifth hall of museum. The central hall is full of wall pictures which concerning to 7 century. One of the most valuable thing is a picture of Ambassadors coming to see Varxuman’s mausoleum.

The western wall

Now we turn to the western wall, which is opposite the entrance. At the top on the left, where the picture preserved, we can see a man in white clothes and at the bottom there is 16 lines in Sogdian alphabet (Sogdian language belongs to Eastern Iranian language family, which was widely spoken in Sogd untill the Arabian conquest. The Sogdian alphabet is derived from Aramaic alphabet). The lines describe the process of receiving ambassadors by the king Varkhuman, a descendant of Unash. Chinese historians mentioned only one king Varkhuman; in 655 A.D. king Varkhuman sent ambassadors on civic issues to the Tan country. It turns out to be the actions against the dangers of Arabs after the war with Iran. At the bottom of the western wall walking ceremonies of ambassodor with present to the king Varkhuman correspondes to the writing of the lines. The scene describes the open place, where we can see the spears on the hooks and the right there are shields decorated with the masks. In the second row there are people with long hair sitting with their backs to the viewer, who seems to be Turks, the private guard of the governor. Between 550-630 A.D. The Sogdian khanats were dependent on the first big state in the Central Asia “Western Turks”empire (Western Turkic Khaganate) and after the destruction of the Khaganate, they built(created) several military parts. Now we shall discuss three people, in front of the writings. They are armed with swords and knives, and their clothes are decorated with the pictures of different animals. They are dressed in a style of that period extendedn from Sosonian Iran to China. One of them carries jewelleris and the others carry rolls of silk. People in white and black colour come in turn, which shows that there were people of two colours in Sogd. As mentioned in the writings, the dark central personage, seems to be the head of the devonkhona of the governor of Shosh (the ancient name of Tashkent). On the right thre are people in ordinary clothes physically resembling to the Mongolians. One of them (on the right of the demaged wall) is standing behind his neighbour, touching the scarf of his neighbour, hanging from his waist (this painting was discovered while restavrashion of French specialist Aliks Barbe). In the middle of the wall two simmetric group of people are walking to the ceremony. On the right Chenese ambassodors are wakling, wearing black hats and carrying fruits and silk wares (goods). Other picture of Chinese, marked with red edge can also be seen(noticed) here. According to one of the researches, changes were carried out, while working on the pictures. On the right of the characters, turks with long hair are walking. This time the are described as foreign ambassadors. Further we are paying attention to the events a bit on the right.

Three people are described here, who are wearing outer coats with hoods sewed together on their collar, on their feet they have long (high) boots. This people seem to be the ambassadors from mountaneous regions (now these paintings can be barely seen). Behind them, two people with feathers on their hair are standing. This hat belongs to Koreans from the kingdom Koguryo, which was jointed to the Chenese Tan Empire.

The higher part of the wall was destroyed and nowadays it isn’t known what was described there.

The Northern Wall

The compositions on the northern wall, beginning from the right are calling(attracting, feel drawn to smth) to the other world. On the left, women in the two tour boats are described. The first is preserved excellently. Musicians with different musical instruments are depicted in the back of the boat. The woman, depicted bigger, the other is the princess. On the front we can see another stage, where a servant woman holding another woman by her hand is trying to reconcile and indicates to the princess. She, in her turn is soothing them both and reconciling them.

As we cannot imagine China without amazing animals at the period of Marko Polo, so here we also can see different unusual creatures belonging to the 7^th century such as with the goat head and dragon tail. On the right a man with fake hair is standing holding a horse which is swimming. A waving line which divides the image into two looks like two mountains. Here we can see Chinese wearing clothes of Tan empire, who are hunting a leopard. On the right there is a rider, who is depicted bigger than the others, but it is not preserved well. According to the Sogdian culture at the picture describes gods and kings. There are some opinions about the emperor of China and his wife is described at the top. So, here we can see the king Varkhuman’s request to the Chinese for accepting him as their citizen. Because Sogdians appreciated the Chinese as a great nation knowing happiness of life. The bravery at the hunting looks like the bravery at the war. But the history of the last decades shows that the negative results of Chinese forces against Arabs made the king to lose his hopes of Chinese.

The southern wall

The southern wall on the left from the entrance is difficult to interpret as the colors are faded away.

At first it was interpreted as a festive entry of foreign ambassadors to Samarkand, but professor B.I. Marshak (State Hermitage, Saint Petersburg) gave a reliable explanation.

The most important thing of the festivity can be seen in the movements of the figures from the central part and going away to the East. The last point of the walking (on the left) is not a city, but an isolated building, where several people are depicted. As it is known from the Chinese chronicles, every year Zoroastrians visited the graves of Sogdian governors and their parents at Navruz celebrations. These graves were situated in the south eastern side of the capital and considered to be the road to the Heavens. In the end of the pilgrimage the animals were killed and sacrificed; and at the center of the composition we can observe these scenes. Two people, illustrated on the wall in festive clothes, armed and with covered mouth strike our eyes being the aristocrats. They were delivering their animals to sacrifice. One of these animals is a grey horse saddled, but without a rider, the other one is carrying four geese. Sogdian inscriptions can be seen on their wings. According to different documents saddled horses were used during sacrifices. They seem to have been sacrifices to the Sun-god and Mitra, the judge of the dead. As to the geese they have been brought to Zurvan, which can be compared to the god of eternity Brakhma. Zurvan had four forms and its symbol was the wild geese. In front of the offerings two riders on the camels are going with the sticks in their hands. At the end of the procession we can see a huge man on the yellow horse – Varkhuman in a red dress, his talisman on the neck and leopard skin on the shoulders. The place where the king was described corresponds with the place on the northern wall, where Chinese emperor stood. Near the relatives of the king we can see white elephant with the palanquin on it. There is an aristocrat woman in the palanquin, who seems to be the king Varkhuman’s wife. Behind her there are three saddled horses with young women on, and on the wrist of one of the women there is an inscription denoting “an official lady”. Above them there is the line of official riders, whose horse legs can only be seen. They seem to be Turk guards.

The eastern wall

In the middle of the eastern wall comprises the main part of the hall entrance. Here the pictures of swimming fish, bathing children and oxen are well preserved. Perhaps it reminds India or Zoroastians, or being in the paradisiacal condition and the river, which separates the livings and the dead.

Discussions and considerations show that the meaning of the plot on three walls is aimed at one thing and namely at the examining the policy of King Varkhuman from three different viewpoints. The first one is festive diplomacy, described on the western wall, the second is friendly relations with China, described on the northern wall and the third is religious celebrations, described on the southern wall. Religious ceremonies were novel to Samarkand as there were no stable dynasties at that time. In 710 king Tarkhun was removed by people (meeting of the elderly). As to the history of king Varkhuman, his attempts to be the only ruler were vain. After the first Arab attack in 675 the city was without a governor. During the excavations it became known that the present condition of the walls, i.e. damage to the pictures was not caused intentionally by Arabs. Hall with the pictures was closed with the stone before the Arabs conquest. Therefore pictures were preserved.

The content of the wall pictures tells about the friendly relationships of king Varkhuman with foreign countries and the high position of Sogd.

The show of the exposition on the second floor includes the time which began from Arab occupation of Central Asia till the period of Chenghiz Khan. At that time Samarkand extended very much and surrounded with defensive walls up to the territory of a present “old city”.

The display begins with the system of water supply of Afrasiyab and the map of the city. Here we get acquainted with the history of Afrasiyab, revealed during the excavations in the last 15 years and the history of the palace belonging to the period of Abu Muslim, the representative of Khurasan caliphate. In the history of the palace, contrary to the ancient Sogdian traditions we can observe the architectural traditions of Ummavians known in Syria and Mesopotamia. During the excavations the scientists came to the conclusion that the construction of the palace wasn’t finished as they could not find any general designing patterns of that period.

In the display hall of the museum the findings are shown as a system of the middle aged city. At the front of the museum halls we can see the rabot, which was the manufacturing part of the city, the next is the main castle (Ark) and things found in the shakhriston. Here we can see pottery producing technology, blacksmith, the patterns of glassware and the models of vessels for baking bricks and designed patterns of bricks.

In written sources it was noted that in Samarkand were more than 100 bathhouses in the Middle ages. The model of one of the bathhouses, toshnav, the pats of the ablution rooms were displayed in the exposition.

Moving from the demonstrations of city rabot to the Main castle (Ark) particular attention is paid to the importance of the notions halal and haram.

In the city Ark huge archeological excavation works were conducted in the place of Jome’ Mosque (the main praying place) of the city. We can see that the temples or mosques were the centers of culture and education in the past.

In the latest years the photocopies of wall pictures of “Afrasiyab” found in the governer’s palace of the Karakhaniys are displayed for the public for the first time.

Models of dwellings of aristocracy uncovered in the shakhriston of Afrasiyab and antiques dug out during the excavations are also displayed here. When we see stone pots at the exhibition hall of the museum, we’ll be sure of the high development of stonemasons craft. Among the exhibits there are also tail ware brought from Iran, showing the relations of trade at that time and local vessels resembling them.

In general the subject area of the first floor includes the articles partly displaying the high development of Muslim renaissance.

In the funds of the Afrasiyab Museum things found during the archeological excavations are kept. Most of them are building materials (bricks, engraved tails), pottery, glass, metal, bone and stone articles.