Monuments of Samarkand to Be Restored

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 30

Monuments of Samarkand to Be Restored

Work on Tamerlane Tomb Completed

BY

SOVIET GOVERNMENT

In order to preserve Samarkand as a memorial of Mohammedan life at | the pinnacle of its might, the Soviet Government has begun to restore the principal monuments of this old Asian capital of Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. The city reached the zenith of its power in the 13th and 14th centuries, and for 500 years has been slowlydying. Already restoration work has been completed on the tomb of Tamerlane the Conqueror, which in its interior resembles somewhat the mausoleum of General Grant in New York. The Russian archaeologists have brought out in bold relief the Arabic inscription over the portal of Tamerlane’s tomb. It reads; “This is the resting place of the illustrious and merciful Monarch; the most great Sultan; the most mighty j warrior, Emir Timour Kurgan, the | Conqueror of all the Earth.” Under the largest single slab of j nephrite ever hewn, Tamerlane rests j in his eternal sleep, surrounded by his i grandson, Uleg Beg, the famous ruler and astronomer; by his favourite- ! Prime Minister and others. Like the ■ Egyptian Pharaohs of old. Tamerlane ' built his own tomb in order that his ; fame might not perish. In its construction he employed ! sculptors, artists, painters and arti- j sans from Persia, India and China. It is one oj the best preserved relics in Samarkand of his mighty reign. Gigantic Mosque About a mile from his own mausoleum Tamerlane also built a gigantic mosque in honour of his favourite wife, Bibi Khanum. Although this is in a sad state of decay, the cupolas, columns and minarets, which are embellished with superb mosaics, porcelains and tiles, remain to give the beholder an idea of its original grandeur. Not far from the ruins of the mosque of Bibi Khanum is a noble series of huge mausoleums built by Shah Zendah and containing the bodies of a number of Tamerlane's relatives and several conspicuous Mohammedan figures of the last live centuries. This is in an excellent state of preservation. Near these mausoleums is the ancient Mohammedan necropolis containing the bodies of thousands of national heroes. Surpassing all other memorials of the past in size, beauty and originality of execution, is the historic Registan. or public square, with its enormous minarets, fountains, schools of divinity and towers. Architects and historians have pronounced this onq of the noblest public squares in the world.

Whether due to earthquakes, which frequently visit this territory, or to the natural subsidence of the soil, the massive minarets in each corner of the great square are leaning at a precarious angle like the Tower of Pisa, and the Soviet Government had to anchor the minarets with enormous steel cables and iron girders to prevent them from toppling. Hie authorities realise they cannot hope to retrieve all the vast ruins of Samarkand, which cover many square miles, because only a limited amount of money is available for the purpose, but they expect to be able to prevent the present archaeological and historical treasures from disintegrating altogether.

Underneath the vast heaps of debris and masonry are the monuments and memorials of a thousand years of Turkestan's history which, it is estimated. will take at least fifty vears to excavate.