Afrasiab Museum and Afrasiab Archeological Site

If you are touring Samarkand then chances are that you have crisscrossed the Afrasiab Archeological Site for sure as some of the tourist attractions like Shahi-i-Zinda, Saint Daniels Tomb, and Mausoleum of Islam Karimov are located at the edges of the site. Summing up my trip to Samarkand was a trip to Afrasiab Museum and Afrasiab Archeological Site.

History Of Afrasiab In Samarkand

Historically this part of Samarkand saw habitation from 500 BC to 1220 AD. It only ended when the Mongols invaded this part of the world and destroyed the city. This section of the city was later excavated during the Soviet era in 1920 when Nikolay Veselovsky a Russian archeologist excavated here.

The total size of the site is around 543 acres and the reaches a depth of 8 to 12 meters. The city was located atop a natural hillock surrounded by a large mud wall which acted as a protective wall.

During the excavation process, no physical building remains were detected only some bricks. Artifacts such as jars, coins, etc. which helped in dating the site.

Later on, during further excavation in 1924 and 1929 remains of a bathhouse, mosque, etc. were found. During 1930 a major discovery was made when a palace compound was found which had remains of frescos on the wall. These can be found at the museum display.

Afrasiab Museum

This is the best place to visit if you want to know more about the ancient history of Afrasiab since all the artifacts discovered during the excavation of the site are kept here. This is a ticketed place and all the displays can be found on the ground floor exhibit halls.

This museum was built in the 1970s during the Soviet era and it’s very clear from the design of the building which is very much similar to that of any building of that era in the USSR. The museum was inaugurated on the 24^th of October 1970.

This is a small museum with a limited number of displays and will take around 30 to 45 minutes to go through. As per record the museum has over 8000 artefacts but not all are on display. This place has a mix of artifacts, frescos, and models of the excavation.

Portions Of Frescos Found During The Excavation Of Afrasiab Archeological Site

Models Showing Discoveries Of Pottery During The Excavation

Stone Fragments Found During The Excavation On Display

Model Showing The Size Of Afrasiab Archeological Site

A Broken Jar Found During The Excavation

Afrasiab Archeological Site

Right behind the museum is the Afrasiab Archeological Site which can be accessed from this museum.

What you get to see is a huge area mostly mud hillocks. Some sections indicate that they were once excavated but you do not see any excavated site with historical significance as they have now been covered up. Even though you can’t see much here I would encourage you to walk around to understand the vastness of the area and to get an overall feel.