CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF HISTORY (ISSN: 2767-472X)
https://masterjournals.com/index.php/crjh
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VOLUME:
Vol.06 Issue01 2025
10.37547/history-crjh-06-01-02
Page: - 04-07
RESEARCH ARTICLE
The Social, Economic and Cultural Life of The Population of
The Syrdarya Region in The Middle Ages
Marufov Sherzod
Gulistan State University, independent researcher, Uzbekistan
Received:
25 November 2024
Accepted:
28 December 2024
Published:
10 January 2025
INTRODUCTION
The country, which is located in a geographically favorable
geographical area, which includes mainly mountain, sub-
mountainous plain and desert areas, on the international
caravan routes, occupies a unique place in the Middle Ages
with its locally based political, economic and social life
and unique serqirra culture.
Political life
. As a result of the disintegration of the Kang'u
state in the 5th century, Ustrushan gained independence.
There is information about this in the Chinese chronicle
"Beishi", which describes the historical events of 435
years. However, soon, from the end of the 5th century to
the 7th century, Ustrushona was under the control of the
Hephthalites, and then the Western Turkic Khanate.
During this period, Ustrushona will retain its internal
autonomy. The Ustrushona state was ruled by a dynasty of
local rulers known by the rank of "Afshin". Rulership was
passed down from father to son. Today, the names of 14
representatives belonging to two dynasties of these rulers
have been determined. The names of representatives of the
first dynasty of Afshins: Chirdmish, Satachari I, Rakhanch
I, Satachari II, Satachari III, Rakhanch II, Rakhanch III
were determined based on numismatic sources. We do not
know the exact dates of the reign of the representatives of
this dynasty, which is believed to have ruled mainly
between 600 and 720. Written sources indicate that only
one of them ruled between 618 and 626. At the same time,
the chronological sequence of these Afshins' reigns is also
based on more speculation. From written sources, it is
known that the second dynasty of Afshins, ruling
Ustrushana starting from 720 CE, included Kharabughra
(720-738), Khanakhara (738-800), Kavus (800-825),
Haydar (825-840), and Hasan. Additionally, numismatic
sources provide information about the last two Afshins,
Abdullah and Sayr ibn Abdullah. These numismatic
records confirm that the final Afshin of Ustrushana ruled
until 893 CE.
Analyzing historical sources indicates that this dynasty had
Turkic origins. This conclusion is supported by the name
of Ustrushana’s ruler in 720, Kharabughra (Black Camel),
which aligns with Turkic traditions. It is worth noting that
the depiction of a "she-wolf nursing two babies," found in
Shahriston, might also be associated with the genealogy of
these Turkic Afshins.
However, some specialists attempt to link this mural to the
influence of Christianity in Ustrushana. They claim that the
image was inspired by the Capitoline Wolf statue in Rome,
ABSTRACT
The text offers an insightful look into the medieval Ustrushona region, shedding light on its complex administrative, economi c,
and cultural life. The region, located in the fertile lands of Central Asia, had a thriving agricultural economy, with a focus on
irrigation farming that produced cotton, cereals, and fruits. In addition to agriculture, livestock farming flourished in the steppe
and desert areas, supporting the livelihoods of the population.
Keywords:
"Beishi", Western Turkic Khanate, "Afshin", Chirdmish, Satachari I, Rakhanch I, Satachari II, Kharabughra, Al-Mu'tasim, the Turkic Khagan, Qal'ai
Qahqaha, Mink, Asbanikant, Biskar, Bangam, Vakr, Shahar, Mascha, Buttam.
CURRENT RESEARCH JOURNAL OF HISTORY (ISSN: 2767-472X)
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representing the myth of Romulus and Remus, the founders
of the Eternal City. At the same time, historical studies
suggest that the Etruscan tribes, credited as the founders of
Rome, might have originated from the East, which
deserves mention in this context.
Historically, it is known that during this period, many
rulers of Central Asia maintained close relations with the
Turks and often sought to establish kinship and tribal ties
with them. Written sources preserve information about one
of the Afshins of Ustrushana, Haydar ibn Kavus, who
arranged the marriage of his son Hasan to Utrunjoy, the
daughter of Ashnas, the Turkic commander under Caliph
Al-Mu'tasim. This serves as an example of such
connections.
By the early 8th century, Arab invaders began entering the
territory of Central Asia. The first written mention of the
Afshin Kharabughra, previously noted, is in connection
with a military alliance formed in 737 between the Turkic
Khagan and rulers of neighboring states against the Arabs.
After the defeat of this alliance, Kharabughra's son
Khanakhara ascended the throne of Ustrushana in 738.
Like his father, he sought to pursue an independent policy.
For instance, during the Arab military campaigns led by
Nasr ibn Sayyar in 738 and Fadl ibn Yahya in 795,
Khanakhara maintained Ustrushana's autonomy through
political negotiations and by paying a certain amount of
tribute.
Social life
. The administrative system of early medieval
Ustrushona is not entirely clear. Written sources provide
information only about the "administrator of the Afshin's
palace (hero) Taradis" or the governors of the rustaqs,
referred to as "the person with the title Zaminch" (the
governor of the Zamin rustaq). These sources suggest that
other rustaqs were likely governed in a similar manner.
Based on archaeological research, it has been determined
that the local nobility - related to the peasants - who resided
in forts and settlements spread across the region must have
played a significant role in the state administrative system.
Considering the above, we can infer that the administrative
structure of early medieval Ustrushona was similar to that
of neighboring regions (Sogd, Choch, Parkana) and was
likely organized in the following hierarchy: Ustrushona
Afshins, palace officials, rustaq governors, local nobility
(peasants), and village elders (qadhudo).
The state of Ustrushona in the Middle Ages was divided
into several rustaqs, and based on the names of these
rustaqs mentioned in written sources, it is estimated that
there were 18 in total. Of these, 9 rustaqs, which were
located in the plains, include Bunjikent, Sabat, Zomin,
Burnamad, Kharakana, Fagnon, Khovos, Shavkat, and
Fakat (Vagkat), each of which contained several cities
(including rustaq centers) and numerous villages. The
remaining 9 rustaqs were mountainous: Mink, Asbanikant,
Biskar, Bangam, Vakr, Shahar, Mascha, Buttam, and
Burgar. It appears that only the Mink rustaq had several
cities, while the others mainly contained numerous
villages. Medieval historians and geographers referred to
Ustrushona as a "land of 400 fortresses." The results of
archaeological surveys conducted in the region, including
ancient architectural complexes and many archaeological
sites under study, confirm these claims. These fortresses
were built at strategically advantageous points to protect
the rustaqs that were based on the numerous oasis
settlements (micro-oases) of the region, forming a unique
and robust military-defense system. The majority of these
fortresses and citadels date back to the early Middle Ages.
This military-defense system, based primarily on defense
and more specifically on the independent defense of
separate oases and settlements, was part of a broader trend
across Central Asia in the early Middle Ages, indicating
that feudal fragmentation affected Ustrushona as well. The
conflicts between rulers of Central Asian states during this
period, and the feudal fragmentation, can also be observed
in Ustrushona, such as in the disputes between the Afshins
of Ustrushona and the Ikskhs of Sogd.
Economic life
. The authors of written sources provide
information about the favorable location of Ustrushona, its
fertile lands, and natural resources, also emphasizing its
close ties with neighboring regions and states. Since
Ustrushona was located in one of the ancient agricultural
oases of Central Asia, agriculture was one of the dominant
sectors of its economy. Mainly relying on natural and
artificial irrigation systems, agriculture in the region was
supported by numerous water sources, including springs,
mountain rivers, and streams (Sangzor, Achchison,
Khojamushkentsoy,
Shahristansoy,
Kattasoy,
Basmandasoy, Aqsuv, Isfanasoy), as well as complex
networks of artificial water structures such as canals and
qanats. Some people described the Mirzachul region as a
"desert without a soul," with the saying, "When birds fly,
their wings are tired, and when people walk, their feet
hurt." However, this is not entirely accurate. Our ancestors,
in the Middle Ages, brought water from the Syr Darya to
Mirzachul via the Urimboy canal, and life flourished there.
Russian specialists who arrived in the region in the second
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half of the 19th century, unfamiliar with the local
conditions of Mirzachul, mistakenly claimed in 1870 that
the engineer Baron Aminov and in 1917, the researcher
Karavaev, wrote that water was taken from the Syr Darya
near the village of Choltukay (Kazakh name Shal-tugay)
along the coast of the Urimboy canal. In reality, the
Urimboy canal diverted water from the Syr Darya near the
village of Kushtigirman in the Spitamen district of the
Sughd region of modern Tajikistan. This conclusion is
drawn because the Syr Darya only rises in that area,
making it possible to divert water to Mirzachul from there.
Traces of this canal have been preserved in the territories
of the villages of Boyavut and Uch Kahramon in the
Guliston district. The Urimboy canal flows north in parallel
with the Syr Darya and reaches Choltukay (modern-day
Matonat village of the Syrdarya district), where it then
turns left and irrigates the area up to Chordara. There are
also speculations that the Urimboy-Oghuz canal came very
close to the Karoy and Mirza-Rabot canals in the vicinity
of the Tuyator river flow near the village of Malik in the
present-day Syrdarya district. Karavaev, who conducted
research in the Mirzachul region, suggests that the canal
was dug in the 10th-12th centuries, based on the "Oghuz"
ethnonym in the name of the canal.
Agriculture, which was one of the key sectors in the
economy of Ustrushona, developed not only in the central,
southeastern mountainous, foothill, and plain areas, but
also in the desert and semi-desert regions of the northern
and northwestern parts. The farmers of Ustrushona
specialized according to the natural conditions of the
region, cultivating cotton along the Syr Darya in the
northern areas, while in the foothills, plains, and
mountainous regions, they grew cereal crops (wheat,
barley, etc.), engaged in horticulture, viticulture, and
melons farming. The many tools and agricultural remains
discovered through archaeological research also support
these facts.
Another important sector in Ustrushona's economy was
livestock farming, which primarily developed in the
highland pastures and in the desert and semi-desert regions.
The sedentary population of the region and the nomadic
pastoralists living in the northern, mainly desert areas,
known as "ghuz" or "nine oases" in written sources,
specialized in breeding horses, camels, small and large
livestock. Archaeological studies conducted at various
sites, such as special facilities for livestock and burial
monuments related to nomadic herders, as well as remains
of bones from different domestic animals, further confirm
these findings.
Ustrushona's land was rich in natural resources, and in
ancient and medieval times, mining and metalworking
were developed in the region. According to written
sources, gold, iron, copper, saltpeter, and other minerals
were mined in Ustrushona. These materials were used to
create products for daily life, including agricultural tools,
household
and
military
weapons,
and
jewelry.
Archaeological research of mining centers and workshops
where these materials were processed shows that
Ustrushona had a well-developed mining sector during the
Middle Ages. The agricultural, livestock, and mining
sectors of the economy formed a stable foundation for
Ustrushona's sustained development.
Ustrushona's handicraft industry was a multi-sector field,
encompassing
blacksmithing,
architecture,
pottery,
weaving, and many other areas. The centers of
metalworking, primarily iron, bronze, and precious metals,
were found mainly in Bunjikent and its surrounding areas,
as well as in the Mink rustaq, though these crafts were
widespread across other regions of Ustrushona as well.
Items made by
Ustrushona craftsmen, including
agricultural tools, household items, military weapons,
bronze and copper utensils, and various ornaments, were
widely traded. Additionally, iron from Ustrushona's Mink
rustaq was "exported" to Fergana, particularly to the
ironworking workshops of Akhsikent.
Spiritual Life
. The unique and developed art of medieval
Ustrushona is primarily assessed based on archaeological
sources.
Archaeological
finds
provide
valuable
information about the folk applied arts (jewelry,
woodwork, engraving, etc.), visual arts, music, and other
aspects of Ustrushona's artistic life. Rare examples of
products made from gold, copper, bronze, and other
precious metals found in Kultepa and other monuments,
created by casting and engraving techniques, depict
various
patterns,
mythical
figures,
and
complex
representations of scenes. These include precious rings and
earrings, lamps and candlesticks, seals and bowls, dishes,
altars, and wooden and clay items. These discoveries serve
as a legitimate foundation for highly evaluating the
practical arts of Ustrushona's craftsmen and jewelers.
One of the main types of Ustrushona's art, visual art, has
over 70 compositions found mainly in the city of Qalai
Qahqa. These include works such as "A She-Wolf Nursing
Two Cubs," "The Multi-Armed God," "Three Cavalry
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Warriors," "Warrior on a Battle Chariot," "A Three-Eyed
Mythical Figure," "A Three-Headed, Four-Armed God,"
"Winged Warrior," "Bird and Dragon," "A Warrior
Healing His Horse," "A Woman Playing the Harp," and
many others. These pieces provide detailed and rich
insights into the advanced stage of Ustrushona's art. The
vivid colors and unique style in these depictions reflect the
deep roots of the Ustrushona people's developed
worldview, traditions, and their close connections with
neighboring peoples and states (Sogdiana, Tokharistan,
etc.) as well as the broader East (Greek, Roman, Chinese)
cultural and spiritual life.
Archaeological discoveries also provide information about
another form of Ustrushona's artistic life, music. Among
these findings, the depiction of "A Woman Playing the
Harp" and the remains of musical instruments hold
particular scientific significance.
As we can see, the country’s rich political history,
multifaceted economy, and diverse spiritual life clearly
prove that medieval Ustrushona was one of the most
advanced regions of Transoxiana. Its high material and
spiritual culture also played an important role in the
subsequent fate of the peoples of Central Asia.
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