The city of Ahsikent: an open-air museum

The city of Ahsikent: an open-air museum
T he history of Uzbek statehood goes back several thousand years. A clear proof of this is the springs, city ruins, and castles that have survived to this day. One such ancient monument that tells about the state of Fergana (Davona) is the ancient settlement of Ahsikent. It is located on the right bank of the Syrdarya in the village of Shahand, Torakorgan district, Namangan region.
One of the main cities of the Great Silk Road, Ahsikent was founded in the III century BC and was the capital of the ancient state of Ferghana. A lot has been written about the special importance of this city in historical sources, especially in "Boburnoma". Due to the presence of underground water reservoirs, it has long been considered favorable for defense.
The fortress consisted of an inner and an outer city. Crafts such as glass, pottery, blacksmithing, and weaponry were developed here at the time. In 1219, the city was completely destroyed by the Mongols. The new town of Akhsi, built 5-7 km west of the old place, dates back to the 14th-17th centuries. By 1620, the huge city was destroyed by an earthquake.
Today, the preserved ruins of the fortress are located on an area of about 60 hectares, and they are the largest archaeological monument in the Fergana Valley. Archaeologists have excavated a fortress, the remains of a bathhouse dating back to the 10th-13th centuries, warriors' quarters, a mosque, defense structures, underground irrigation networks, a craftsman's quarter, the ruler's residence - Ark.
Z ahiriddin Muhammad Babur talks about Ahsikent in the chapter of the events of 1494 in his work "Baburnoma". "One of the cities on the northern bank of the Sayhun River is Akhsi (in his books he wrote "Akhsikat")," he wrote. - After Andijan, there was no bigger city in the state of Fergana. Umarshaikh Mirza declared this area as the capital. The Sayhun River flows through the lowland of the hill. Umarshaikh strengthened this city. There are ravines around the walls of the hill. You won't find such a strong fortification in Fergana."
He also wrote that the melons and fruits of this city were famous for their unusually excellent taste, and that white deer, roe deer, and wild rabbits were found here.
Weapons produced in Axikent were known as "Damascus knives" and were sold in the West in Damascus and in the East in China. In the excavations carried out in this and adjacent areas, many unique objects from different periods were found.
Also, today a museum operates in Namangan in the scientific-educational architectural complex "Akhsi Sayyids". At the moment, there are 516 exhibits in the Aksinsky Ancient Museum.
According to the order of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, large-scale works on preservation and study of the historical monument of Akhsikent, creation of its true history have been started. State unitary enterprise "Oksikent Directorate for Protection and Research of Archaeological Heritage" was established.
The Aksikent monument is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The in-depth study of this unique monument, whose history dates back to the IV century BC, and introducing our compatriots and foreign tourists to the history of the ancient capital is a great opportunity for the development of tourism in the region.