Sogdiana is the oldest region of Central Asia, in the center of which BC the capital of Marakanda grew up and which later became known as Samarkand. Timur in XIV made it his capital, but he wanted him to become the capital of the whole world.
What was Samarkand
This city was surrounded by a fortified wall with towers and a moat. Monumental buildings were built in it. These buildings glorified both the country and its ruler. Therefore, the buildings were gigantic and richly decorated with tiles, openwork lattices. Poets, musicians, doctors, astronomers, historians also served as decoration of Timur’s court. This flattered his vanity. He did not hesitate to invite them to his place, or to forcibly relocate from the conquered countries to his capital. Timur carefully monitored how crafts develop. He ordered that all masters be freely allowed into the state, but they had no choice. Architects, painters, ceramists, rock-cutters, calligraphers were invited for construction, but more often they were taken prisoner in foreign countries. The city was striking in its beauty. Against the background of a dazzling blue sky, there were shining bright blue with plentiful gilding (the “kundal” technique) huge buildings to the skies. In the same style, the Gur Emir mausoleum was built, in which the tomb of Timur (Tamerlane) is located.
Personality of Timur
Tamerlan (or Timur) was a brave and fearless man. He knew how to control himself and not detect his feelings. Timur soberly and carefully judged everything and always made well-informed decisions. These qualities of character attracted people to him. He also had a great artistic taste, as can be seen from the structures erected in his time.
The appearance of the ruler
He was a tall man. His growth was 1.72 m. Hair, oddly enough, it seemed, had the color of a chestnut with gray hair. Tamerlane’s grave showed his appearance. He was chrome on his right foot. But in general, according to scientists, his biological age fluctuates around fifty years, although he was 68 at the time of his death. Tamerlan’s grave, or rather his skeleton inside it, tells researchers that he was a physically very strong man who was not affected by decrepitude . He has preserved many teeth, massive and healthy bones, broad shoulders, a large volume of lungs and chest - everything shows the athlete.
The opened grave of Tamerlane (photo
higher)
allowed M. M. Gerasimov to restore the appearance of Timur. His portrait is as accurate as possible. Timur's beard and mustache were, like his hair, thick and red.
Where did Tamerlan die
Born in the foothills of the modern Shahrisab, Timur spent almost his entire life on hikes. Having occupied Samarkand after the battles and established himself in it, the commander raided towards Tashkent and brought rich loot.
Then he changed the direction of the campaigns and went towards Persia and practically captured it. After that, there was a struggle with the Golden Horde and campaigns against Iran and India. From everywhere Tamerlan brought treasures to Samarkand, one of which was a huge jade plate. We will mention it below. And only when he was sixty-eight years old, he fell ill and died during a campaign in China. This happened in the cold winter of 1405. His body was embalmed and laid in a coffin, which was studded with silver brocade and made of rare
ebony. In this form, Timur was taken to his capital, where Tamerlan’s grave is located.
Gur Emir
The construction of the tomb of the emir was begun during his lifetime in 1403, since his heir and grandson died. The construction of this monumental structure will be completed much later by his grandson Ulugbek, a scientist and poet, and not a warrior, like his grandfather.
In this unfinished Gur Emir, the grave of Tamerlane found its place. Later it was covered with a jade plate, on which an epitaph was applied. We hope that now we can answer the question: “Where is Tamerlane’s grave?” In Samarkand, in the tomb of the Timurids.
Who was the first to decide to desecrate the grave
His grave has been untouchable for centuries. Only in the middle of the 18th century did the Persian Khan not only set his sights, but also take away a precious slab of jade. She, by all accounts, was exported from Mongolia, where she got from China. And on the same day, an earthquake occurred in Iran, and the shah himself fell ill. So the first violation of the integrity of the tomb of Tamerlane appeared. According to legend, the spirit of the mentor Tamerlane appeared to the khan in a dream and said that the stove should be returned. Khan was scared, and he sent her back, but on the way the stove split into 2 parts. In Samarkand, the craftsmen carefully connected them, but the crack is still noticeable. Thus, the grave of Tamerlane, where the jade plate is still located, remained untouched until the 20th century.
Works in Soviet times
No one knew exactly where Tamerlan was buried. Maybe in his homeland in Shahrisab. There was a tomb. Or maybe in Samarkand. It was decided to inspect the huge mausoleum of Gur Emir and excavate the grave of Tamerlane, if it is found there. The commission was led by archaeologist Kary-Niyazov. It also included cultural figures such as M. M. Gerasimov, who had already created a portrait of Ivan IV, the formidable Russian Tsar, as well as writer Aini and cameraman Kayumov.
All work began on June 16, 1941. There were many tombs, and it was decided to open them sequentially. First, the burials of the sons of Timur met. Two days later, his grandchildren, including Ulugbek, who was recognized by the fact that his head was cut off from the body (and it was known that he died a violent death), and by the fact that he was buried in clothes, not in the shroud. On June 20, the autopsy of Tamerlane’s grave was finally begun. They recognized him right away, because the kneecap was damaged on this skeleton, that is, he was limping. This grave was special. On it lay not only a three-ton jade slab, which was lifted with jacks, but also a few more marble ones. They needed to be lifted with a winch, which suddenly broke. While it was being restored, a break was announced.
In a teahouse
Cameraman Kayumov went to drink tea. Three old men sat at the dastarkhan - this is an ordinary Samarkand picture. But suddenly one of the elders turned to the operator and said that it was dangerous to release the spirit of war from the grave.
And the legend that if you disturb the ashes of Timur, then a terrible bloody war begins, always went through Central Asia. The old man opened an old book with Arabic text and began to read this gloomy legend. But, interestingly, Kayumov for some reason did not remove either the book or the three old men on tape. And he has no evidence other than his words. Returning to the expedition, Kayumov told all his members about his conversation. However, work was continued.
Sarcophagus autopsy work
When they opened the grave of Tamerlane, lifting three plates, then under them they saw a massive sarcophagus. From the burial came the stupefying aromas of incense. Suddenly, for unknown reasons, the electricity went out. It spontaneously recovered after three hours. Work continued: Tamerlan’s bones were taken out of a black coffin and put in boxes.
And the next morning, scientists on the radio learned that the war had begun. Whether it is a coincidence or not, no one knows. But only after Tamerlane’s skeleton was returned to the tomb and buried with honors, and this was in March (19–20) 1942, there was a turning point in the war. An attack began near Stalingrad on March 19, and our troops resolutely began to liberate the territory of the Motherland.
Here's a mystical story with amazing coincidences in dates occurred after the opening of the tomb of Tamerlane. How to relate to this is simply unknown. But the facts say that we still have much to learn.