Heritage with Related Tags
Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape
The 121,967-hectare Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape encompasses vast pastoral areas on both sides of the Orkhon River and includes numerous archaeological remains dating back to the 6th century. The site also includes Karakorum, the 13th and 14th century capital of Genghis Khan's vast empire. Overall, the remains at the site reflect the symbiotic relationship between nomadic, pastoral societies and their administrative and religious centers, and the importance of the Orkhon Valley in the history of Central Asia. Mongol nomadic herders still graze their livestock on the steppes.
Proto-urban Site of Sarazm
Sarazm, meaning "where the land begins", is an archaeological site that bears witness to the development of human settlement in Central Asia between the 4th millennium BC and the end of the 3rd millennium BC. The site shows the early development of proto-urbanization in the region. The settlement is one of the oldest in Central Asia, situated between mountainous areas suitable for nomadic herders to raise livestock and a large valley suitable for the development of agriculture and irrigation by the first settled populations in the region. Sarazm also testifies to the existence of commercial and cultural exchanges and trade relations with peoples of a vast geographical area, stretching from the steppes of Central Asia and Turkmenistan to the Iranian plateau, the Indus Valley, and even as far as the Indian Ocean.
Uvs Nuur Basin
The Uvs Basin (1,068,853 hectares) is the northernmost enclosed basin in Central Asia. It takes its name from Lake Uvs, a large, shallow salt lake important for migratory birds, waterfowl and seabirds. The area consists of twelve protected areas representing the major biomes of Eastern Eurasia. Steppe ecosystems support a rich diversity of birds, and the deserts are home to many rare gerbils, jerboas and great spotted weasels. The mountains are important refuges for the globally endangered snow leopard, mountain goat (argali) and Asiatic wild goat.
Taxila
From the Neolithic tombs of Saraikara to the walled city of Sirkap (2nd century BC) and Sirsuq (1st century AD), Taxila illustrates the different stages of urban development along the Indus River. The city was influenced by Persia, Greece and Central Asia, and was an important center of Buddhist learning from the 5th century BC to the 2nd century AD.
State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv”
Merv is the oldest and best-preserved oasis city along the Silk Road in Central Asia. The remains of this vast oasis span 4,000 years of human history. Many monuments are still visible, especially those from the last two thousand years.
The Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor
The Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor is the throat of the Silk Road in Central Asia, connecting other corridors from all directions. It is 866 kilometers long, with rugged mountains, fertile river valleys and uninhabited deserts along the way. It first extends from east to west along the Zarafshan River, then turns southwest and crosses the Karakum Desert along the ancient caravan route to the Merv Oasis. From the 2nd century BC to the 16th century AD, the corridor became the main channel for communication between the East and the West and the trade of large quantities of goods on the Silk Road. It witnessed human travel, settlement, conquest, and defeat, and thus developed into a melting pot of ethnicities, cultures, religions, and technologies.