Vasiliy Vladimirovich Bartold (1869-1930)was aRussian orientalist who specialized in the history of Islam and the Turkic peoples (Turkology). 2) Archeological monuments of Uzbekistan 2.1 Archeological monuments in Zarafshan oasis Afrosiyab is a large archeological monument that testifies to the ruins of the ancient city of Samarkand. The area of the city is 219 hectares. Archaeologists have discovered that there are 11 cultural layers that overlap. The Afrosiyab site of Samarkand reflects the material culture of the 2,100-year-old historical period. In the modern relief of the city, one can easily distinguish the ruins of a mighty fortress, the ancient defensive walls, and the ruins of a canal that once flooded the city. Regular excavations at Afrosiyab were started in 1904 by VV Bartold and VL Vyatkin. In 1958 a special Samarkand archeological group was formed. The purpose of the group was to collect information about the history of the origin and existence of one of the ancient city centers of Central Asia, the various objects that surrounded it at all stages of city life. The expedition has conducted more than 50 prospecting and soil crossing inspections over 30 years. The archeological period of Afrosiab was determined, and a topographic plan of the city in different periods was drawn up. Extensive information on architecture, material and spiritual culture, production activities, numismatics, terracotta, ceramics was collected and summarized, famous murals were found and repaired. Numerous articles and monographs on city life have been published. An Uzbek-French expedition has been operating in Afrosiyab since 1989.
The expedition covered the part of the city from the northern fort to the first fort, and in the eastern part of the fortress opened a huge administrative building, which dates back to the end of the VIII century. In the western part of the castle, in the middle of the VIII century BC. avv. Excavations of buildings of III-II centuries were carried out.
