Ancient Merv and other Turkmenistan Things to Do Tips

Merv is one amazing place if you are like this VTer and love history. It was the largest city in the world in the 1200erds. For many centuries, Merv was regarded as one of the richest, most highly cultured centers of the Ancient East. Its greatest period of glory was during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, when it served as the Eastern capital of the Great Seljuks.

It is one of the major centers on the Silk Road and goes as far back as at least the the 3rd millennium BCE. Merv is reported to be the origin of Hindu belief in Mount Meru, which Hinduism declares to be the centre of the world.It is first recorded in history in the Avesta, the bible of the Zoroastrian. Merv was part of Alexander the Great's conguest and was even named Alexandria for a time. Antiochus I the son of Apame the Persian princesses and Alexander’s general rebuilt Merv. Lots of coins with Alexander and Antiochus face on it are found in the digs. Lots of coins have been found and we Vter can see are really cool with the faces of the rulers: a long unbroken direct Sassanian rule of four centuries is documented from the unbroken series of coins originally minted at Merv. Beside the official Zoroastrianism of the Sassanid dynasty, and the Parthenon Empire Merv was home to a range of other like Buddhists and Manichaeans.

The city of Merv, which was once a really bid deal- in fact- the largest in the world until it was destroyed by Ghengis Khan's son. It is thought that over a million of its inhabitants were killed in 1221 or 22. What you can see in the photos are the mausoleums of the VIP like that of the Sultan Sanjar, completed in about 1140. The Museum in Mary is interesting as well and worth a look and if you are really interested in their fascination history the Turkmen will go out of there way to help you learn about their fascinating history.

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Phone: (37064) 2-22-17, (37022) 3-27-22
Address: About one hour by car from the city of Mary
Directions: Merv -- Director: Redjep Djepbarov -- English speaking guide: Evgeniya Golubeva (Ms. Golubeva can be contacted from the historical museum in Mary) For a guided tour contact Mr. Ruslan Muradov at (993-12) 35-38-81 or by e-mail rum@online.tm
Other Contact: rum@online.tm

Yes this is well woth the visit it is the capital of the Parthian Empire the other empire at the time of Rome. Mithradates I (171-138 BC) was the king that made Parthia into a major power and Built Nissa into his capital. He expanded the empire westward into Mesopotamia and eastward into Bactria. Actively promoted Hellenism and titled himself "philhellene" (friend of the Greeks). The VTer can see the Old Nissa’s ruins it is about 10 miles west of Ashgabat. Old Nissa was the capital of the Parthian Empire, one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Like Merv Nissa is mentioned in the Zend – Avesta – the Bible of the Zoroastrianism. Old Nissa is is the real center of the Parthian Empire where it all started the huge empire one of the biggest of the ancient world.
Open: Monday Wednesday - ; 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Entry Fee: 5,000 Manats

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This Carpet in the national museum is from 400 BC and is the oldest Turkmen -- beautiful would you not say.

Carpet Museum

This museum has a large, impressive collection of antique carpets and also the largest Turkmen carpet in the world. The director: Tuvakbibi Kurbanovna Durdyeva is very helpful in explaining all about carpets.

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Phone: 993-12-35-45-54
Address: 5 Gorogly Street
Directions: Location: 5 Gorogly Street; Hours: Daily 10:00 am to 6:00pm, closed for lunch between 1:00 and 2:00pm, closed Sundays; Entry Fees: 25,000 manats (US$5).

The Five type of carpet patters from the five areas.

The Yomut (Yomud) in this picture made by the people just like the man in the intro. This Yomud is typical for the group. It has fantastic all vegetable dyes of very individualistic hues. The background is a rich light red plum color. I got this one from a small village marget and was told that a Turkmen girl produce one as a dowry weavings for her marriage. It was sold to me by the grand dauther of the maker

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Teke (Tekke) style Gul

The Teke were the dominant southern Turkmen tribe when the Russians came into this part of central Asia and are still the folks the VTer runs into visiting Ancient Merv or Mary south east of Ashgabat. Very proud People with their name forever associated with the famous Akhal-Teke a horse that is thought to have descended from an ancient Scythian type. The Tekes of Turkmenistan were a nomadic people who are direct descendent of the ancient Scythians People.

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Salyr (Salor).

Many of the Salyr (Salyrth) people from the are of central asia around Samarkand and Bukara is moved eastward , eventually settling in Western China. I know all this central Asian people and their movement are very confusing. Their language has an Oghuz Turkic base and in China these folks are the Salor. But they make some wonderful carpets and are such nice folks.

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Arsary sometimes miscalled (Ersary) are one of the five Major Turkmen tribes in Turkmenistan and like the other tribes have their own style of carpet the others are tribes are Teke, Yomut, Chowdur, Salyr. The Arsary are the Turkmen tribe that inhabit the Lebap District of Turkmenistan which is in far northeast of the country, near Uzbekistan. Its capital of Lebap was Charjew when I went to this area but it is now Turkmenabat named after the leader of Turkmenistan. It has a few hundred thousand people and it is a really great place to really get away from the tourist Crowd.

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Not very far from beautiful downtown Ashgabat is this very interesting major stop on the Silk Road. The Great Annau Mosque one of the beautiful blue tile mosques is really something because it’s blue mosaic tile depicted Chinese dragons looking east.

When I was there the folks from the Univ of Penn had done some wonderful work on the early bonze age

An English speaking tour guide who took us around is Ruslan Muradov at (993-12) 35-38-81 or by e-mail rum@online.tm

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Phone: (993-12) 35-38-81