Aimlessly wandering around Khiva

There is no agenda today, so we wander around Khiva to catch a few glimpses of local life, people and capture some last impressions of Ichan Kala, the walled old town.

We also had a look at the fake tombs outside the south gate of the city. The primary legend surrounding these tombs is that they served as a defensive deterrent against invading Muslim forces and nomadic raiders. In Islamic military and cultural ethics, stepping over or desecrating graves is considered severely sinful and forbidden. The city’s defenders deliberately constructed graves and cenotaph-style mounds along vulnerable approaches and the inner base of the walls, calculating that pious invaders would refuse to charge through, scale, or drive siege equipment across a burial ground.

So farewell Khiva, you gave a fascinating view of life in a different world.Read more