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Dekhistan
 Dekhistan
is considered the most important medieval oasis of south-west
Turkmenistan. Here once was located the City of Misrian
which reached its maximum splendour when it belonged to
the Shahs of Khoresm. Having been destroyed by the Mongols,
It died out at the end of the Xth century Because of the
interruption of theIrrigation system.
 Dekhistan
is one of the largest cultural and historic centres of
the south - western Turkmenistan. Dekhistan has also another
name - Misrian. Together with the neighbouring ancient
Mashed graveyard, Dekhistan is called Mashed - Misrian
by Turkmen. Dekhistan or Misrian is not only an ancient
city itself, but all the adjacent province, in other words
- the Misrian oasis, which several centuries after unknown
disaster, remained hardly noticeable signs. The city existed
in the IX - XIV centuries. Its total area was about 200
ha, the city was surrounded by a double ring of defensive
walls. Like most cities of its epoch, it was divided into
well - fortificated shakhristan with citadel (the most
ancient part of the city) and rabad around it (a densely
populated trade quarters with bazaars and caravanserais).
Shakhristan was protected with two rows of high fortress
wall with semicircle watch - towers. Pottery and brick
- burning kilns, khanaka, country mosque, garden - park
erections and bazaar square, typical of the eastern medieval
cities, were marked around the city wall. The tribes,
which occupied this territory, went in for agriculture
based mainly on artificial irrigation and cattle - breeding.
Three caravanserais were discovered  on
its territory. Public buildings and erections, reflecting
the social tenor of the feudal age, take a special place
in the Dekhistan look and structure. Such monumental buildings
include mosques, minarets, madrasahs and a number of cultural
erections. The city was in its prime being a possession
of Khorezm Shahs, then destroyed by Mongol, but revived
and finally fell into decay with decline of irrigation
in the XV century. Its architecture remained only a few
fragments of the erections made of burned brick and having
great artistic value as the glaring examples of Islamic
architecture. The first and foremost is two 20 meters
high minarets. In all probability it is a half of their
initial height. Abu - Jafar Akhmed minaret, so called
"northern" - was built by architect Abu Bini Ziyad approximately
in 1004 - 1005. Smooth surface of the minarets was girdled
with two belts of Arabic scribings which were engraved
on the bricks. The scribings tells who and when has erected
this monument. The top of each minaret was crowned with
wide belt of geometrical ornament.  The
second minaret (7 meters in its foundation diameter) was
built 120 meters away from the first one, but almost 200
years later, at the corner of mosque of Mukhammed Khorezmshah
which remained only two pylons of 18 meters high portal
with luxuriant ornament made of blue glaze. The predominant
part of the ornament are Arabian inscriptions, where the
names of Khorezmshah and the architects were written.
Dekhistan was in deep intercommunication with the vast
neighbourhood, covering the considerable part of the south
- eastern Caspii. The city, being on the boarder of settled
oasis and nomad steppe, was the important point of the
intensive trade. One of the international caravan ways,
connecting Khorezm with the Arabian countries, crossed
Dekhistan. Silence among the ruins and ashes, which is
usually so typical for abandoned cities, will make not
only poets, but everyone to think of the perishability
and ephemeral essence of life, that goes away leaving
no erections but scattering of ostracons and shapeless
ruins, that have been many centuries ago something useful,
firm and splendid.
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