Merv - one of world's great lost cities

It's another early start today (alarm set for 4am) to catch a flight to Mary, a city in the southeast of TM.
There is a slight panic when one of our group isn't even awake 10 min before we want to depart for the airport - and no, it's not one of us; remember, we are the youngsters on this trip. The last two days have taken their toll. But all ends well and we get to the airport in time to make the flight.

Arriving in Mary after a short 40-minute flight, we are in desperate need of some coffee and tea. So why not stop at our hotel, drop off the luggage to top up on caffeine, even though we can't check in so early in the morning. In fact, it would have been great to have some breakfast there instead of the stale takeaway breakfast from the hotel in Ashgabat (which sadly most of us put in the bin anyway ... think some constructive criticism for our tour operator is in order).

The whole purpose for the trip to Mary is to visit Merv, one of the greatest oasis cities along the ancient Silk Road. It connected routes towards Bukhara and China, Khorezm, Persia & Afghanistan.

Merv was part of Alexander the Great's empire in the 4th century BCE but was most powerful during the Seljuk Empire in the 12th century. It was briefly considered the largest city in the world - home to roughly half a million people, famed for its massive libraries and rivaling cities like Baghdad, Cairo, and Constantinople as a centre of science, philosophy, and Islamic culture, before being destroyed by Mongol armies in 1221.

Since 1999, Ancient Merv is a UNESCO World Heritage site containing archaeological layers spanning over 4000 years.

A bit disappointing for us, the desert people did not build for eternity. With the main building material being clay, most of the structures are nothing more than mounds in the sand and no-one knows for certain what lies hidden beneath the ground within the ruins of the city. It may be houses or temples, perhaps even entire palaces.

In fact, Ancient Merv is so vast (roughly 20 square km), that we are driven between the different ruins.
As everywhere, history and legends are plentiful, but only a few things stick in my head at the end of the day ...

☝️The most memorable - shall I say legend that has nothing to do with the ruins is that at several places in Merv we were 'hijacked' by groups of young girls and families to have their pictures taken with us. It almost felt like being minor celebrities.

☝️ Greater and Lesser Kyz-Kala (8th–9th centuries), fortified mud-brick fortresses. While their exact purpose is debated - elite noble residences, fortified manors or storehouses - the architecture with corrugated columns is unique.
According to local folklore, Great Kyz Kala housed a fiercely independent princess, while the nearby Little Kyz Kala was home to young men and eager suitors. The princess decreed that she would only marry a man who could throw an apple all the way from the walls of the men's fortress across the expanse into her castle window.
After plenty of men failed, one clever suitor built a small catapult or sling and successfully launching the apple right into her room. And guess what?
She kept her word.

☝️As-Sahaba Complex. The twin domed tombs commemorate two 7th-century companions of the Prophet Muhammad. According to the legend Buraydah, one of the companions, met Muhammad while intending to capture him for a bounty on behalf of Buddhists, but was so moved upon meeting the Prophet that he converted immediately and became a follower and standard bearer of Mohammed

☝️Erk-Kala (6th century BC), the oldest of Merv structures, a massive circular citadel dating back to the Achaemenid Persian era.
After a steep but easy climb to the top, the view was really impressive, especially over the rounded fortress remains and the surrounding landscape of the desert.

☝️The Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar (12th century) houses the tomb of the last great ruler of the Seljuk Empire. Standing nearly 38 meters tall with massive brick dome and intricate geometric brickwork it is another masterpiece of medieval Islamic architecture according to the experts.
And of course, there is a legend ...
Sultan Sanjar fell in love with a magical winged fairy (or ghost). She agreed to marry him on three conditions: he must never watch her comb her hair, never look at her feet while she walked, and never hug her. Driven by curiosity, Sanjar broke all three: he peeked while she groomed and saw she removed her head to comb her hair. He saw she glided without her feet never touching the ground. When he tried to hold her, he felt she had no spine. Distraught by his betrayal, she transformed into a dove and flew into the sky. Before disappearing forever, she told Sanjar: "Build the highest building in the land with an hole in the roof; every Friday I will fly by so you can see me." Sanjar built the mausoleum with an open central skylight which is now right above his tomb.

☝️ The Muhammad ibn Zayd Mausoleum. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad which gave the shrine particular religious importance.
Just outside the entrance of the mausoleum grows a tamarisk tree. According to folk belief, prayers uttered near the saint's resting place carry special favour. For centuries, visiting pilgrims, particularly women praying for fertility, have tied colourful scraps of cloth to its branches to show their wishes.

It's taken a few hours to get around the ruins and as we didn't have any breakfast, we are all more than happy when it's time for lunch.

As a surprise, we have lunch at a small newly established family business with race horses, camels and plenty of traditional costumes.

Before we sit down for lunch, we learn about the famous TM horse breed, Akhal Teke (but I have forgotten everything already) and about wedding customs & costumes.

In fact, I had to take one for the team and model the traditional costume a bride would be wearing during the multi-day celebration and when moving into the household of the groom.

The bride is supposed to keep her eyes cast downward, maintaining a quiet, humble posture and don't speak directly to the new family. The
bowing I think comes automatically when wearing all the gear that I had to put on as it's bloody heavy (the full regalia can weigh up to 10 kg). The weight comes from layered fabrics and extensive silver jewelry designed to serve as both spiritual armour and financial security.

I was wearing a headdress & cape - a tall, rigid bridal cap adorned with silver plaques, coins, and bells. Draped over the entire head and shoulders is the 'kurte', a heavily embroidered cape or coat that conceals the bride from public gaze.

What's more, following the wedding, the bride practices modesty by covering the lower half of her face with a scarf and refraining from speaking aloud in the presence of her husband’s older male relatives (especially the father-in-law). She communicates through gestures or whispers to young children.

This goes on until eventually the groom’s parents and elder relatives perform the official ceremony to lift the kurte and inner veil. Looking at the bride's face requires paying tribute, so the in-laws offer her gifts of gold, fine silks, or cash before the veil is raised and formally welcoming her as their daughter.
Shelby mentioned that this can take up to 40 days. What a humiliating tradition!

On a more cheery subject ...
We had a lunch - as usual dining like kings and queens with huge amount of food - in one of their yurts.
And this time, the even opened a bottle of TM wine - more dessert wine but not bad.

Guess that was our pay for them to film us the whole time for their advertising on Instagram and Tik-tok. We are definitely becoming influencers 🤣🤣🤣

And don't think our opulent lunch was the last of the food of the day. We had another 'small' dinner in the evening.

... still need to write my 👣 about foodRead more