Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Merv oasis, at 200 meters above sea level and an 85 km × 74 km flat
area, exhibits continental climate. Because of its location, irrigation has al-
ways been very important for Merv and the first settlements (in Merv) ap-
peared in the Bronze Age (2500-1200 B.C.) in the northern regions where
the surfacing of the waters of the Murghab river had made it easier to use.
Later, with the advent of irrigation techniques, settlements were estab-
lished in the south and Early Iron Age sites (1200-300 B.C.) were created.
Merv is one of the most important crossroads on the Silk Road because
this important trade and culture road coming from the East through Amul
(Chardjzou) splits into many roads here: the north road leading to Kh-
warezm, the east road leading to Termez, Balkh and Herat, the south-east
road leading to Serakhs and Nishapur, and the west road leading to Nisa
(Tucker, 2003). In the Middle Ages, the most significant sources of income
for Merv people were cotton, sesame, cotton oil, silk and cloth making,
copper crafting, animal breeding and trade (Puschning, 2006). Besides,
the old documents seldom mention the tastes of fruits like pears, raisins
and melons grown in Merv, “a flower blossoming in the desert.”
Due to its unique geographical position, Merv also served as a home
and passage for different religions. During the Parthian period, the main
religion was Zoroastrianism (also called Mazdaism). This religion was
significantly observed under the reign of Sassanids.
In addition, a Christian Bishop was noticed in Merv in 323 (Güngör,
2002), and it is also known that the Merv Nestorian Bishop was exception-
ally active in the 6th century and 7th century.
As far as Buddhism is concerned, the analyzes of Buddhist artifacts
found in the city suggest that Buddhism probably came in through Kushan
centers in Balh, which carry the Gandhara culture, and then later traveled
to China. A 5th A.D. century vessel, which was initially used to preserve
bones and later Buddhist manuscripts, was found in the Buddhist stupa
in Gyaur Kala (Fig. 2). In a style similar to Afrasiab, Penjikent and Vara-
khsha wall paintings, the life phases of a ruler are pictured on it (Esin,
1978; Tucker, 2003). Because Merv also serves as a passage to the north,
it is possible to argue that Judaism traveled to the Caspian Sea region and
Eastern Europe through here (Durduyev, 1998). İbn al-Faqih on the other
hand reported that a Manichaean temple, named Key-Merzûban, existed
in Merv (Sayan, 1999). But the place and importance of Islam religion is
undisputable in the history of Merv. Being one of the bases of Islamic sci-
ence and technology, Merv has witnessed the Islam civilization in all its
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