Ancient Panjakent

The ancient town of Panjakent – located in the south‑west part of the city of Panjakent, 1.5 km away.

Excavations

Ancient Panjakent consists of three parts – Kuhandiz, Shahriston and Qabriston. Shahriston comprises 13 ga‑s and is almost completely ruined. Kuhandiz and Qabriston are partially destroyed. The houses are mainly built of raw brick and mud.

The monument is also famous in scientific circles under the name “Eastern Pompeii”.

History

With the disappearance of Sarazm, urban development in Sogd does not cease, and several large towns and villages are built around Samarkand. One of these towns, which now lies within the territory of independent Tajikistan, is Panjakent. However, ancient Panjakent has a history of more than 1.5 thousand years and was inhabited before the advent of the monotheistic Islam in the 5th–8th centuries.

In 1947 Alexander Markovich Belenitsky, under the leadership of Alexander Yuryevich Yakubovsky, began the study of the ancient Panjakent site and from 1954 took charge of the archaeological work at Panjakent. The works of painting and drawing, wood carvings, clay sculptures and others that became available during the Panjakent expedition’s excavations represent the cultural heritage of Sogd, which were placed in the collection of universal art and their samples were exhibited. In the study of ancient Panjakent, Belenitsky defended his doctoral dissertation.

Archaeology of Panjakent

The archaeology of Panjakent includes all the mentioned urban features. Today, walls of residential, administrative and religious buildings occasionally emerge from the ground. Panjakent is one of the eastern Sogdian cities, a tributary of Samarkand. In the era of Devashtich this royal center developed to the extent that it did not become a subsidiary of Samarkand, but claimed the tributary status of Samarkand. In the city of Panjakent the Sogdian people lived and communicated in the Sogdian language. Archaeological destructions have been recorded only in half of the city and continue to this day. As a result, the ruler’s fortress, two temples with a courtyard in the city center, the main street and ten narrow streets, workshops, markets and the fortress walls formed the settlement. It is evident that prominent nobles lived in this city. However, alongside them, many pioneers also acted. Residential houses consisted of two or three rooms. It is quite possible that merchants also resided in this city and conducted trade by caravan from China to Rome via the Silk Road. The strong defensive walls and narrow streets between buildings allowed people to build two‑storey warehouses where they stored their wheat. Each city had a guest‑receiving hall, painted with the characteristic colors of the eastern people, pottery and its walls were decorated. Each of them tried to make their guesthouse as clean as a royal palace, reflecting the high culture of the local inhabitants. Today, most of such finds are kept in their large museums: Panjakent, Dushanbe and the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg.

The people of Panjakent worshiped Zoroastrianism. Two great temples in the city center testify to their belief. A wooden statue of a god has been erected, which sits on a throne.

Since other peoples were civilized, one of the main occupations of the Panjakentians was gardening and animal husbandry. However, it is strange that inside the city there were neither trees nor livestock, except for two sacred trees. The garden and the meadow were cultivated outside the city. The livestock of the people was also raised outside the city. From the remaining sewers it appears that the city had a unified sewage system. Although the city is located at a height, water is brought through underground sewers to the city center and is raised to the surface by special wells that exist in several places in the city. In any case, the ruler’s castle and the administrative offices were located outside the city. Devashchich entered the city by a narrow road. From the remains of various gods it is known that trade in the city was comfortable and people traded with all corners of the world. And the weather conditions were arranged so that everyone could practice their own religion.

The peaceful life of the people of Panjakent was ended by Ibn Kutayba, an Arab general. After conquering Samarkand he sent an army to Panjakent. Devashchich realized the resistance was futile, prayed to his people and surrendered Panjakent to the Arabs. Now some scholars claim that Devashchich converted to Islam in his old age.

The Sogdians were aware of the achievements of the great civilizations of their time. From this point of view, in their culture elements of foreign peoples, including Romans and Indians, can be encountered. However, the art and culture of the Sogdians differ from the cultures of other peoples by the uniqueness of their style, an incomparable technique, and distinctive elements.

The excavation of Old Panjakent is a unique achievement for the history of Tajikistan, as the findings and artifacts reflect the literature, folklore, customs and the past life of the Tajik people and are also another proof of pride and honor!