ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING IN CENTRAL ASIA DURING THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES (5TH–8TH CENTURIES)

Toshmurodov Ahmad

Authors

Toshmurodov Ahmad Master’s student in Ethnography, Ethnology and Anthropology, Samarkand State University named after Sharof Rashidov

Keywords:

Central Asia, fortress, urban structure, citadel, Panjikent, arch, rabot, shahristan.

Abstract

This article examines the architectural and urban development processes that took shape in Central Asia in the early Middle Ages based on historical sources and archaeological research. The study analyzes the emergence of new urban centers, the expansion of fortress-type settlements, and the planning of large centers such as oasis cities - Varakhsha, Afrosiyob, Poykent, Panjikent - against the backdrop of political and economic changes in the 5th-8th centuries. The urban structure typical of this period - the formation of ark, shahristan, and rabot, the development of defensive walls, towers, gate systems, and the structure of main streets - is scientifically examined. The structural and stylistic features of temples, palace complexes, fortresses, and monumental structures related to Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and local religious traditions are analyzed in a scholarly manner.

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