Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan

Potsherds at Abiverd / Photo by Els Slots.

Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan is part of the Tentative list of Turkmenistan in order to qualify for inclusion in the World Heritage List.

Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan is a serial nomination consisting of 29 elements representing remains of long-distance routes of integration, exchange and dialogue between the East and the West, from the 2nd century BC until the end of the 16th century. It consists of the ruins of ancient settlements representing different period of the road history, ancient and mysterious cave city, mausoleum or religious buildings (representing various different religions from archaic belief to Zoroastrian, Islam and various state of conservation, from ruins to standing monuments) and forts and caravanserais protecting the Road.

Map of Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan

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The coordinates shown for all tentative sites were produced as a community effort. They are not official and may change on inscription.

Community Reviews

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Clyde

Malta - 31-Jul-17 -

Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan (T) by Clyde

I visited the silk road site of Anau in June 2017. Being relatively close to Ashgabat (around 8km) I made an extra effort to visit the remains of the Seyitdzhemaliddin Mosque included on Turkmenistan's tentative list.

Anau derives from Abi-anau meaning new water and surely enough there's a well and water system just next to the mosque. The mosque was heavily damaged by the Ashgabat earthquake, however locals still pray (mostly for fertility) at this site. There are a few turquoise tiles left but nothing really outstanding which would add value to the WH list in my opinion.


Els Slots

The Netherlands - 16-May-10 -

Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan (T) by Els Slots

The road between Mary and Ashgabat is possibly the most boring stretch that I have ever travelled on. My fellow travellers made a joke out of it - "Is this on your List too? It should be." It took us over 7 hours to reach the Turkmen capital. Our minibus could only reach an average speed of 50km per hour because of the many holes and bumps in the road.

An hour before we arrived in Ashgabat we had a final stop to stretch our legs. It was at a place called Abiwerd just near the road. I took some obligatory photos, just in case this tiny archeological site would ever show up on a WH or Tentative List.

My surprise couldn't have been bigger when I came home and discovered that Turkmenistan had just entered a new Tentative Site called "Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan". And what is part of it? Abiverd!

Abiverd or Abiwerd is an ancient fortified settlement. The remains near the road are merely silhouettes of ancient structures, although a local boy came to us to point out a fortress a bit further inland.


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Full Name
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan
Country
Turkmenistan
Added
2010
Type
Cultural
Categories
Human activity - Transport and Trade
Link
By ID
2014 Referred

2014 Advisory Body overruled

From Deferral

2010 Added to Tentative List

The site has 32 locations

Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Amul (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Akcha-gala (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Geok-Gumbez (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Chilburj (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Gyobekly (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Khurmuzfarra (Uly Kishman) (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Gurtly-depe (medieval Bashan) (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Odemerghen-gala (rabat Suran) (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Talkhatan-baba (mosque) (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Ekedeshik (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Dargan urban site (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Dayakhatyn caravanserai (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Astana-Baba (medival Maimarg): Alamberdar mausoleum (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Astana-Baba (medival Maimarg): Astana-Baba architectural complex (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Dashrabat (Dandanakan) (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Old Sarakhs (urban site and Abul-Fazl mausoleum) (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Mele-Hairam temple complex (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Pulkhatyn bridge (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Injirli urban site (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Meana-Baba architectural complex (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Kyone Kaka (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Abiverd (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Anau urban site and ruins of the mosque of Said Jamal-ad-Din (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Durun and Ak Ymam mausoleum: Dekhistan (Mashat-Misrian) (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Durun and Ak Ymam mausoleum: Mashat-ata mosque-mausoleum (Shir-Kabir) (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Durun and Ak Ymam mausoleum: group of medieval mausolea at Mashat-ata cemetery (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Ygdy gala (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Shakhsenem (medieval Suvburun) (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Shakhsenem, suburb garden (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Diyarbekir (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Yzmykshir fortress (mediaval Zamakhshar) (T)
Silk Roads Sites in Turkmenistan: Devkesen (medieval Vazir) (T)
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