S7 Airlines flights Moscow to Tashkent

S7 Airlines began two additional flights per week between Moscow and Tashkent on 3 August 2018.

Previously 2 flights a week on Tuesdays and Sundays now in addition travelling on Thursdays and Fridays departing Domodedovo airport at 05:30am and land at Tashkent airport at 11:30am (Tashkent time).The return flights leave Tashkent at 13:00pm and arrive at Domodedovo Airport at 15:20pm.
S7 use  modern and comfortable Airbus A320 aircraft designed to transport 8 passengers in business class and 150 passengers in economy class. Passengers will also be able to experience the convenience of transferring to flights to other destinations in S7’s wide network, without leaving Domodedovo airport

S7 Airlines is a Safety Leaders Award winner in “Transportation Safety: Flight Safety” category and in 2017 Group member airlines carried more than 14.2 million passengers.

Air tickets for S7 Airlines flights can be purchased on the www.s7.ru, through applications for the iPhone and Android and in all air ticket sales offices. To find out the exact information about flights, book and buy tickets, you can also call the S7 Airlines’ contact center.

Saiga (Saiga tatarica) Facts for Kids

Did you know?

The saiga is recognizable by an extremely unusual, over-sized, and flexible, nose structure. The nose is supposed to warm up the air in winter and filters out dust in summer.

• Saiga are nomadic creatures that frequently cross borders of provinces and countries during their several-hundred-mile migrations to winter grazing areas.
• Social structure. Saiga form herds of 30-40 animals.
• Lifespan. 6 to 10 years.
• Breeding. Gestation period is 140-150 days, with litter size 1-2. (A female saiga will begin breeding and give birth to her first calf by the time she’s a year old).
• Diet. Grasses, steppe lichens, herbs and shrubs.
• The saiga can migrate over distances of up to 1,000 kilometres between summer and winter.
• Saiga herds once numbered in their millions, but the global population has declined rapidly to just thousands. (Poaching and habia loss)

https://www.fauna-flora.org/species/saiga

Soviet Era Mosaics Nukus

New Gas Reserves Discovered in Karakalpakstan

Uzbekneftegaz has reported finding new industrial gas condensate reserves in the Nizhny Surgil area of ​​the Ustyurt plateau in Karakalpakstan. The company have detected the presence of significant volumes of gas and condensate at a depth of 3,600 meters and have assessed that they can be commercially exploited and will prepare proposals for further exploration at the Lower Surgil field.

 

The Ustyurt plateau is one of the most important sources for the growth of hydrocarbons in Central Asia. At the end of 2016 Gazprom and Uzbekneftegaz, established a Natural Gas Stream joint venture for gas production at the Jel field (GKM) on the Ustyurt plateau. The project is expected within the next 10 years to reach a production capacity of some 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas and 76,000 tons of condensate. The investment to develop the project being expected to be in the region of 700 million US dollars. In total, Uzbekneftegaz plans to increase its hydrocarbon production to 53.5 billion cubic metres of gas condensate and oil by 1.9 million tons 2017-2021. (In 2017 Uzbekistan produced 56.4 billion cubic meters of gas and 806 thousand tons of oil).

Source: https://www.rbasia.uz/single-post/2018/01/26/New-Gas-reserves-discovered-in-Uzbekistan

Samarkand Blue

Sources: Various

Koi-krylgan-kala (Kazakly-yatkan) Wall Paintings from ancient Chorasmia

Monumental Mural Wall painting in Central Asia reached an artistic peak between the 4 and 8^th centuries AD. It is best seen in sites in ancient Afrasiab (Samarkand) and Panjikent in Tajikistan, but little previously was known about its early development.  The earliest well preserved wall paintings to date have been found in the Republic of Karakalpakstan part of the ancient empire of Chorasmia in Kazakly-yatkan which dates from the 4^th- 3^rd centuries BC. The murals uncovered during the excavation of the observatory-temple of Koi-krylgan-kala were a real breakthrough in the studies of the early art history of Central Asia. The find due to the work of an international research group of scientists united in the framework of Karakalpak-Australian archaeological field team that has been carrying out systematic studies on the ancient forts of the Tashkyrman oasis situated in Beruni District of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Excavations first commenced in 1995 on the site of Koi-krylgan-kala and the subsequent finds have enabled scientists from the group to establish that this was one of the largest settlement sites within ancient Chorasmia and likely its capital after its secession from the Achaemenid Empire. Since 2004 the main effort of the field team has been focused on studying a palace-and-temple compound in the north-western section of the “sacred city”. Traces of wall painting were found both inside the temple, and on the walls of a gallery that surrounded the temple along its outer perimeter, as well as on the walls of the palace portion of the compound. In the southern half of the gallery (a 250m long corridor) a mural featuring the images of people on foot, a mounted procession and, probably, horse riders and  within the northern section of the western corridor a further 45 painting fragments with preserved images of one or several characters were discovered.In total 36 surviving paintings were found of chest-head portraits. Nearly all following a single rule: torso to the front and head in half face and turned to the left. In few instances however the head was pictured in half face turned to the right. This manner (the so-called “ancient oriental”) style of picturing a ruler was used on coins of Parsee kings and Indo-Parthian rulers starting from the 1st century BC, as well as the later coins of the Kushans, Sassanids and Euthalites.  Characters in the gallery wear neither a beard, nor a moustache, but have rich black hair neatly combed to the back of the head covering the neck but clear of the ears, which are dyed in red colour – a completely unusual feature that has no analogy. The portrayal of beardless rulers in the art of ancient Khorezm  can also be found on some Khoresmian coins, particularly on the earliest of them. Some of the characters in the portraits wear a crown, while the rest are pictured with a bare head. The crowns have two variations. The simplest style is a small round hat open at the top, and at the front, significantly protruded forward and hanging over the forehead is a protomai of a bird with round head and thick beak. The almond-shaped eye of a bird and its feathering are painted very neatly and clearly. The other style is more complex: a kind of a fabulous creature is painted on the lower part of the headdress. In some of the crowns this is a very realistic image, while in the others it is stylised to the extreme. The characters in the gallery are usually portrayed earing earrings with the neck wrapped in many coils of a string known as a grivna some with schematic images of animal heads at its ends.

  The Kazakly-yatkan murals have little similarity to other known ancient art monuments of Central Asia. However certain painting elements show its connection to both the Scythian and Sak livestock breeding tribes of Eurasia the so-called “animal style”. The Grivna wrought in that style and worn over the neck of the characters being a rather telling sign. At the same time, other features in the portraits, specifically the pose of the royal characters are instead in an oriental style. This duality determines the specificity of the portrait painting in Kazakly-yatkan, as being from border lands on the edge of both the great ancient eastern civilizations and the nomadic tribes of the great band of Eurasian steppes and deserts.

Source: Edited for brevity -  http://sanat.orexca.com/2009/2009-4/vadim_yagodin/

New Investment Guide to Karakalpakstan Published

A new investment guide " Invest in Karakalpakstan " has been published jointly by the State Committee for Investments and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the UNDP with the aim to showcase the improving investment climate in Karakalpakstan and the rest of Uzbekistan.

The Handbook has been prepared in two languages (Russian and English) and is available for download on the link:

http://nxrtest.ru/guide/ru/  or

http://nxrtest.ru/guide/en/assets/kk_investor_guide_2018_eng.pdf

or via  #INVESTINKARAKALPAKSTAN

Source: http://www.uz.undp.org/content/uzbekistan/en/home/library/poverty/invest-in-karakalpakstan.html

Map of Amu Darya Delta and the lower Aral Sea

Salt Storm hits Nukus

A strong salt storm enveloped large areas of Western Uzbekistan covering the city of Nukus in a layer of salt and dust and reducing visibility to only a few meters. The storm also blocked flights departing from Urgench airport. Strong gusty wind brought salt dust from the Aral Sea shores (and the Aralkum) following warm weather and rain. According to Uzhydromet, in Nukus after a 40-degree heat on Sunday 27th May the temperature dropped to + 20-22 ° C.  The salt laden forcing residents of Nukus to use masks when venturing outdoors as the storm made it difficult to breathe. 

Salt storm from Aral sweeps Western Uzbekistan and Northern Turkmenistan

Photo: A strong salt storm enveloped large areas of Western Uzbekistan and northern Turkmenistan for three days from May 26, the storm has hit the Uzbek regions of Karakalpakstan and Khorezm and the Turkmen province of Dashoguz.  

Modernisation of meteorological and hydrological weather stations in Karakapkstan

The first automatic weather station in Central Asia manufactured by SIAP+MICROS of Italy was opened in Nukus, Uzbekistan, on 14th of April 2017 as part of UNDP’s collaboration with the Centre of Hydrometeorological Service under a joint project with the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan for “Developing climate resilience of farming communities in the drought prone parts of Uzbekistan” in the Republic of Karakalpakstan with financial support of the Adaptation Fund. The project provides the modernisation of 10 meteorological stations and 2 hydrological posts in 5 pilot regions of Karakalpakstan focusing on introduction of climate change adaptation measures, with the aim to increase resilience of farming communities and farms. The sensors of each station measure temperature and relative humidity of air, pressure, wind speed and direction, snow depth, solid and liquid precipitation, and can be used to measure also soil temperature.

Source: https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2017/04/15/meteo-project/

A  VHDD-350C Doppler weather radar systems for the Centre of Hydrometeorological Service (Uzhydromet) in Nukus (and Tashkent) Uzbekistan.

Installed to ensure higher resolution weather surveillance so that they could enhance their short-term weather forecasting. The instrumentation and software made by the US company Baron Services Inc. of Alabama allows users to differentiate between types of precipitation, specifically rain, snow, sleet, and hail, by allowing Uzhydromet operational staff to have more control over the radar so that they can look for specific meteorological conditions at different atmospheric elevations based on the weather phenomena being detected at the time. Thus allowing the agency to make more accurate short term forecasts. Source: https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/IMOP/.../O2_05_Riksiev_Uzbekistan.pdf

Karakalpakstan Map

Wonders of Samarkand

 Samarkand is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia and is the site of many wonderful examples of Islamic architecture. It was founded between the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Prospering from its location on the Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean by the time of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia, it was the capital of the Sogdian satrapy. The city was taken by Alexander the Great in 329 BC, who called it in Greek Marakanda. The city was ruled by a succession of Iranian and Turkic rulers until the Mongols under Genghis Khan conquered Samarkand in 1220. In the 14th century it became the capital of the empire of Timur (Tamerlane)  His grandson, Ulugh Beg, took the throne after Timur’s death and made Samarkand into one of the most important scientific centers of the Middle Ages. Ulugh Beg built a unique observatory, where many important mathematicians and astronomers from all over the Islamic world gathered to study the heavens. The astronomical research that was carried out there was still being used by Europeans in the 17th century. After the collapse of the Timurids the importance of Samarkand decreased and the capital moved to Bukhara. Rising again to prominence after the annexation by the Tsarist empire in the mid 19th century, today Samarkand is the second city of Uzbekistan and draws large numbers of visitors each year to see its architectural wonders.

Samarkand was noted for being an Islamic centre for scholarly study, three important Madrasas are situated around Registan square at the heart of the city these include:

• Madrasa of Ulugh Beg (1417–1420)
• Sher-Dor Madrasa (Lions Gate) (1619–1635/36)
• Tilla-Kori Madrasa (1647–1659/60)

Ulugh Beg Madrasa’s façade is decorated with geometrical stylised forms centres on four imposing iwans (rectangular vaulted halls walled on three sides, with one end entirely open framed by minarets). The square courtyard within includes a mosque and lecture rooms fringed by dormitory cells for students. The 17th-century ruler, Yalangtush Bakhodur, constructed of the Sher-Dor Madrasa opposite the Ulugh Beg Madrasa and the Tilla-Kori Madrasa at right angles to it to form the present monumental complex. Tiger motif mosaics in the spandrels of the Sher-Dor’s facade flout Islam’s proscription of the depiction of living beings on religious buildings. The Tilya-Kori acted not only as a madrasa but also a grand mosque. It has a two-storied main façade and a vast courtyard fringed by dormitory cells, with the usual four iwans on its axes. The mosque whose main hall is abundantly gilded, occupies the western flank of the building.

The huge Bibi Hanum Mosque is, one of the largest mosques in the Islamic world. Its construction started in 1339, after Temur’s victorious campaign to India, and lasted up to 1404. The best architects, craftsmen, stonemasons and artists from Samarkand as well as from the countries Temur had subdued, laboured at the construction of the Mosque. Ninety Indian elephants were used to do the hard work at the site. During his stays in the capital between his military campaigns, Timur personally supervised the construction works. In his long absences, its construction was watched over by his wife Sarai-Mulk-Khanum, who had the title Bibi-Khanum, or ‘Senior Wife’ hence its name. It was neglected during the Shaybanid Dynasty and much of it collapsed over time. It is orientated on an axis between a vast entrance portal and a huge domed prayer hall and has recently been restored with the aid of UNESCO. Its vast scale gives a vivid impression of Timur’s great vision. Situated next to the mosque is the busy Siyob Bazaar which is well worth a visit.

An important pilgrimage site in Samarkand is home of the An important pilgrimage site in Samarkand is home of the Shahr-i-Zindar, a mausoleum complex dating from the 7th century. Shahr-i-Zindar stands for 'The Living King' and refers to the grave of Qusam ibn-Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Mohammed, who is said to have first introduced Islam to Central Asia in 676. Under the Abbasids his tomb was venerated and the legend developed that he did not die but was miraculously engulfed in a cliff, hence the name. According to the great Islamic traveler Ibn Battuta, the shrine was so famous that it was not destroyed during the Mongol invasions. Today the shrine is in a much-dilapidated condition but is still visited by many hundreds of pilgrims each day. Other nearby tombs, dating mostly to the 14thand 15th centuries, belong to the family and friends of Timur (Tamerlane) and Ulugh Beg. The Shah-i Zinda cemetery is one of the most resplendent necropolis in the Islamic world, its intense and unified architecture inspires visions of worldly wealth and of paradise. Its most important feature is the tile work that covers many of the tomb façades, arguably the greatest single collection of architectural ceramics in the world. The predominant colour is blue, worked in myriad gorgeous hues by the craftsmen whom Timur collected during his conquests and transported to his capital.

The Afrasiyab Museum and the Ulugh Beg Observatory. The remains of the earlier Sogdian city of Afrasiyab, which is now a huge mound on Samarkand’s outskirts. The Sogdians had been renowned traders along the Silk Road and consequently their culture absorbed motifs from as far apart as Persia and China. Although little remains of the former city, one corpus of wall paintings has survived, preserved in a purpose-built museum. It depicts processions of courtiers and merchants wearing fabulously rich textiles, many of them obviously silks of the highest quality giving an insight into early culture that produced and traded them. Nearby is the Ulugh Beg Observatory built in the 1420s, it is considered by scholars to have been one of the finest observatories in the Islamic world. Some of the famous Islamic astronomers who worked at the observatory include Al-Kashi, Ali Qushji, and Ulugh Beg himself. Ulugh Beg observatory was destroyed by fundamentalists (including his own nephew) in 1449 and was only rediscovered in 1908.

In the Samarkand region there are two other famous pilgrimage shrines called Khodja Abdi Darun and Chupan Ata. Situated on the outskirts of Samarkand, among rolling hills and bordered by a quiet stream, the Mausoleum of Khodja Daniar is a much-visited holy place for Islamic, Christian and Jewish pilgrims, the crypt is believed to contain the arm of Prophet Daniel brought by Timur from Mecca.  Twelve kilometres north of Samarkand stands the recently renovated shrine complex of the 9th century Islamic saint Muhammad Ibn Ismail al-Bukhari. Born in Bukhara in 810 AD, he made a pilgrimage to Mecca as a teenage boy, spent 12 years living there and then travelled widely throughout the Muslim world collecting Hadith, these being the traditional sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. Nearly 3000 of these were compiled into a book known as Al-Jami al-sahih, which is considered by many Sunni Muslims to be the most authoritative collection of Hadith and a religious book second only to the Koran. Al-Bukhari died in 870 and his tomb became a celebrated place of pilgrimage for Muslims from throughout Central Asia.

 

Sources: Wikipedia 

http://www.centralasia-travel.com/en/countries/uzbekistan/places/samarkand/

https://sacredsites.com/asia/uzbekistan/samarkand.html