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Talqin va tadqiqotlar respublika ilmiy-uslubiy jurnali №11
KURGONSHINKALA IS A DEFENSIVE FORTRESS OF KHOREZM IN
ANTIQUE PERIOD
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Baxtiyarov Sirojbek Ilxombek o'g'li
Teacher of the Department of "History and Psychology" at Mamun University https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7231140
Abstract: This article talks about Kurgoshinkala, which is considered one of the
cities of Khorezm in antiquity. The contents of the scientists' researches about
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Kurgoshinkala are described.
Key words: Oasis of Khorezm, Hecatius of Miletus, Khorasmia, antiquity, Bactria, Kurgoashinkala, Bazarkala, Jonboskala, Ayozkala, Burlikala, Sughd, S.P. Tolstov, Y.G. Ghulamov, proteikhizma, Katta Kirqqiz, ramp.
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The Khorezm oasis is one of the oldest inhabited areas. The first information about the Khorezm region can be found in the Zoroastrian holy book "Avesta" and in the Behistun rock inscription [1, p. 10].
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There is also information about Khorezm in the work of Hecatius of Miletus, one of the authors of antiquity. In his work, the name Khorezm appears as Khorasmiya. He mentioned Khorasmia as the only city in Khorasmia region east of the Parthians [2].
The Khorezm oasis is located in the center of the Turan lowland, between the Karakum and Qizilkum deserts, in the northwestern part of our republic, in the lower reaches of the Amudarya.
The history of the ancient cities of the Khorezm oasis is extremely interesting. In the works of ancient authors, there is almost no information about the ancient fortresses of Khorezm. Although we have information about the defense structures of Bactria and Sughd related to the history of Alexander's campaigns, the information about the history of the ancient cities of Khorezm remains abstract to us [1, p.10].
On the threshold of the 5th-4th B.C., when the Achaemenid state left, the process of urbanization of Khorezm society began, many urban centers (Bozorkala, Katta Oyboyir, Hazorasp, Akshakhankala, etc.) began to appear, and the boundaries of its cultural region expanded. On the left bank, in the north it reached the Ustyurt ravine, in the west - to the shores of Lake Sarikamish, in the south - to Zaunguzu Karakumi. A single chain of fortifications forming a system of border fortresses was built [1, p.71].
One of such border fortresses is Kurgoshinkala, which appeared in the ancient
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Khorezm region. Kurgoshinkala was considered a defensive fortification and was
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Talqin va tadqiqotlar respublika ilmiy-uslubiy jurnali №11
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built on the eastern border of the Khorezm region. Today, this monument is located in Ellikkala district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. In 1937, S.P. Tolstov, Y.G. The archeological group consisting of Ghulomov and E.A.Polyakov conducted excavations and found [3,
p.30].
The outer walls of the castle are 132 x 89 m in the shape of a right angle with the corners of the castle facing the world. Based on the thickness of the outer wall, it is 2.35 m, and the inner wall is 2-2.20 m. The width of the shooting lane is 2.35 m. The outer wall is raised at an angle of 85° to the base. The lower part of the castle
wall was raised from straw at a height of 1.52 m from the mainland, then raw bricks
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(40-41 x40-41 x 10-11 cm) were laid in a clay mixture. A stamp consisting of one, two parallel lines or intersecting straight or curved lines, or even a finger is printed on the brick [1, p.48].
The fortress wall was reinforced with three bastions on the long side and one on the short side (except for the corner bastions). They are rectangular and semi-oval. The spacing of the constellations on each wall is different. They are located at a distance of 27-37 m from each other on the north-eastern wall, and 6-31 m on the south-eastern wall. Their width is 6.80-8.40 m, and they protrude 7.60-8 m [1, p.49].
Various combinations were used to protect the corners: beveled tires, double and single spokes. On the wall of the castle, in the turrets, there were windows and
windows. It was found that there are about 700 shinaks in the castle. This number of
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guns was enough for the defense of the fortress [1, p.49].
The entrance is in the middle of the south-eastern wall and is protected by a rectangular 10.90 x 19.80 m front gate structure. Tires were left on the side of the
road. The fortress used protekhism, which is a characteristic element of the ancient Khorezm defense system. The castle is surrounded on all sides (except the southwestern side) by a raised proteichisma of square-shaped raw bricks. It is 9-10 m away from the edge of the fortress wall. In the southwest of the castle, at a distance of three meters from the protekhism, it was found that there was a ditch with a width of about -5 m and a depth of about 1.50 m. The use of proteichism was especially widely used in antiquity, and this situation continued in Khorezm until the 12th - 13th centuries
D, p.79].
During the research carried out by S.P. Tolstov, among the materials taken from the shooting lanes and excavated shurf. It is noted that there are fragments of large dishes from the IV-III centuries. Fragments of a vessel with the image of a tiger were found from this period [4].
Kurghoshinkala, which occupies an important place from the point of view of
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strategy, appeared in the IV-III centuries and apparently protected the inner regions of the ancient Khorezm state from the attack of the steppe tribes from the northeast [1, p.49].
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Talqin va tadqiqotlar respublika ilmiy-uslubiy jurnali №11
According to the research of S.P. Tolstov, every fortified structure in ancient Khorezm was built with the intention of being a place of shelter and residence for the inhabitants of the surrounding villages during an enemy attack. It was found that such unfortified villages are located around Bozorkala, Jonboskala, Ayozkala, Burlikala, Kurgoshinkala.
In the second stage of the castle's existence (I-III centuries), the path was entered from the southeast. The interior of this road is covered with bricks over a layer of sand. A ramp has been built. Apparently, due to the lack of water in the Big Kyrgyz Canal, at the end of the 3rd-4th centuries, the villages of Kurgoshinkala and its surroundings were emptied [5, c.109].
The fortress is surrounded by a barrier wall on all sides, except for the southwestern side. The fortress, according to assumptions, protected the interior of the ancient state of Khorezm from the invasion of steppe tribes. The name of the castle is believed to be derived from the Turkic word for "lead", and this substance is believed to have been mined not far from here.[6]
It can be concluded from the research that the defense of the oasis was established from the research conducted in the fortresses of the Kurgoshinkala region, and their fortifications and settlements testify to the development of peaceful relations.
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Plan of Kurgoshinkala
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Talqin va tadqiqotlar respublika ilmiy-uslubiy jurnali №11
References:
1. G. Khodjaniyazov. Ancient Khorezm defense structures. From the 6th century BC to the 4th century AD. Tashkent, "Uzbekistan". 2007.
2. Pyankov I. V. Khorasmii Hekataya Miletskogo 2-3 st. //VDI. No. 2. M., "Nauka" 1972
3. Tolstov S.P. Ancient Khorezm. Opgg historiko-archaeologicheskogo issledovaniya. M., Izd-vo MGU. 1948.
4. Tolstov S.P. Po sledam drevnekhorezmiyskoy civilization. M.,-L., AN USSR. 1948.
5. Gulyamov Ya.G. History of Oroshenia Khorezma s drevneyshih vremen do nashih dney. Tashkent, Izd-vo AN UzSSR. 1957.
6. karakalpakstan.travel/kurgashin-kala/?lang=en
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