Uzbekistan | Samarkand | Shah-i-Zinda

Wandered by the Shah-i-Zinda (The Living Prince) complex in Samarkand, built in large part by Amir Timur (a.k.a Tamerlane, 1336–1405) as a burial place for his female relatives, although others are also buried here.  The entrance portal was added later by his grandson Ulugh Beg ((1394–1449). 

Entrance Portal (click on photos for enlargements)

 Entrance Portal and front of complex

 Steps leading from the Entrance Portal to the mausolems

 Front of one of the mausolems

 Detail of front of one of the mausolems

 Detail of front of one of the mausolems

Detail of front of one of the mausolems

 Detail of front of one of the mausolems

Detail of front of one of the mausolems

Detail of front of one of the mausolems

 Detail of front of one of the mausolems

 Detail of front of one of the mausolems

Interior of one of the mausoleums. Buried here were Amir Timur’s favorite niece, her sister Turkhan Aka, and two others, one apparently a child. Not clear which tomb is which. 

 Interior of the mausoleum of Amir Timur’s favorite niece

  Interior of the mausoleum of Amir Timur’s favorite niece

 Dome of the mausoleum of Amir Timur’s favorite niece. Due to a curious optical illusion it looks convex. It is of course concave. 

 Interior of the mausoleum of Amir Timur’s favorite niece

 Interior of the mausoleum of Amir Timur’s favorite niece

 Apparently the tomb of one of Amir Timur’s wives

An unusual octagon shaped tomb

Base of the Octagon Tomb. Historians say this was the foundation of a building which pre-dated the Mongol Invasion of Samarkand in 1220. The original building was destroyed in the invasion. 

 More mausoleums

More mausoleums

 Detail of mausoleums

 Detail of mausoleums

 Detail of mausoleums

Looking back toward the entrance

 Another mausoleum

  Detail of mausoleum

Looking toward the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas Mosque complex

Wooden door to the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas Mosque complex

Detail of wooden door to the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas Mosque complex

Detail of the door. The inscription on the column gives the name of the man who carved the door and when it was made: 1404-05

The complex is said to have included some structures which survived the destruction by the Mongols of the original buildings which stood on this site . For instance, just inside the main door is the base and entryway to a minaret said to date to the pre-Mongol era. The top of the minaret itself was destroyed by the Chingisids but the base and entryway were incorporated into the now-existing structures.

 Woman praying in the mosque part of the complex

This door is said to led to an underground chamber where Sufis used to do 40-day meditation retreats

Interior of the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas Mausolem. According to legend he was a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad who accompanying a raiding party to Samarkand in 676. He was killed and buried here. His original mausoleum was apparently destroyed by the Mongols. The current mausoleum probably dates to the Timurid era. 

Details of the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas Mausoleum

The tomb of the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas is behind the wooden fretwork.

 Another mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

  Detail of mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

  Detail of mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

   Detail of mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

  Detail of mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

  Detail of mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

I don’t usually take photos of people at places like this, but as I was leaving this guy came up to me and insisted that I take a photo of him and his family. 

Love those bangs!

Uzbekistan | Samarkand | Shah-i-Zinda

Wandered by the Shah-i-Zinda (The Living Prince) complex in Samarkand, built in large part by Amir Timur (a.k.a Tamerlane, 1336–1405) as a burial place for his female relatives, although others are also buried here.  The entrance portal was added later by his grandson Ulugh Beg ((1394–1449). 

Entrance Portal (click on photos for enlargements)

 Entrance Portal and front of complex

 Steps leading from the Entrance Portal to the mausolems

 Front of one of the mausolems

 Detail of front of one of the mausolems

 Detail of front of one of the mausolems

Detail of front of one of the mausolems

 Detail of front of one of the mausolems

Detail of front of one of the mausolems

Detail of front of one of the mausolems

 Detail of front of one of the mausolems

 Detail of front of one of the mausolems

Interior of one of the mausoleums. Buried here were Amir Timur’s favorite niece, her sister Turkhan Aka, and two others, one apparently a child. Not clear which tomb is which. 

 Interior of the mausoleum of Amir Timur’s favorite niece

  Interior of the mausoleum of Amir Timur’s favorite niece

 Dome of the mausoleum of Amir Timur’s favorite niece. Due to a curious optical illusion it looks convex. It is of course concave. 

 Interior of the mausoleum of Amir Timur’s favorite niece

 Interior of the mausoleum of Amir Timur’s favorite niece

 Apparently the tomb of one of Amir Timur’s wives

An unusual octagon shaped tomb

Base of the Octagon Tomb. Historians say this was the foundation of a building which pre-dated the Mongol Invasion of Samarkand in 1220. The original building was destroyed in the invasion. 

 More mausoleums

More mausoleums

 Detail of mausoleums

 Detail of mausoleums

 Detail of mausoleums

Looking back toward the entrance

 Another mausoleum

  Detail of mausoleum

Looking toward the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas Mosque complex

Wooden door to the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas Mosque complex

Detail of wooden door to the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas Mosque complex

Detail of the door. The inscription on the column gives the name of the man who carved the door and when it was made: 1404-05

The complex is said to have included some structures which survived the destruction by the Mongols of the original buildings which stood on this site . For instance, just inside the main door is the base and entryway to a minaret said to date to the pre-Mongol era. The top of the minaret itself was destroyed by the Chingisids but the base and entryway were incorporated into the now-existing structures.

 Woman praying in the mosque part of the complex

This door is said to led to an underground chamber where Sufis used to do 40-day meditation retreats

Interior of the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas Mausolem. According to legend he was a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad who accompanying a raiding party to Samarkand in 676. He was killed and buried here. His original mausoleum was apparently destroyed by the Mongols. The current mausoleum probably dates to the Timurid era. 

Details of the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas Mausoleum

The tomb of the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas is behind the wooden fretwork.

 Another mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

  Detail of mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

  Detail of mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

   Detail of mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

  Detail of mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

  Detail of mausoleum behind the Kussam-Ibn-Abbas complex

I don’t usually take photos of people at places like this, but as I was leaving this guy came up to me and insisted that I take a photo of him and his family. 

Love those bangs!

Mongolia | Zaisan Tolgoi | Third Nine Nine | Gurvan Ükhrii Ever Khöldönö

The Third of The Nine-Nines—the Nine-Nines being nine periods of nine days each, each period characterized by a certain type of winter weather—begins today, January 8. Gurvan Ükhrii Ever Khöldönö is the nine-day period of Winter when the horns of three year-old cows freeze. This period is supposed to be colder than the First of the Nine Nines and the Second of the Nine Nines. At 8:30 this morning it was 33 below 0º F (that’s minus 36º C for you incorrigible Celsius fans), about normal for this time of the year. Certainly cold enough to freeze the horns of three-year old cows, to say nothing of the balls on a brass monkey.

Those of you who like to get out early to view the Heavens are in for a real treat the next couple days. On the morning of the 10th Venus will be cuddling up with a Sliver Moon. I may not be able to see this phenomenon from my hovel in Zaisan Tolgoi because of the high ridges of Bogd Khan Uul to the southeast, but if I get inspired I might just climb to The Mountain In Front of My Hovel for a better look.

Graphic Courtesy of Sky And Telescope

Mongolia | Second Nine Nine | Khorz Arkhi Khöldönö

I mentioned earlier that the First of the Nine-Nines—the Nine-Nines being nine periods of nine days each, each period characterized by a certain type of winter weather—started on the day of the Winter Solstice, which occurred here in Mongolia on December 21, according to the Gregorian Calendar. The Second of the Nine Nines begins today, December 30. Known as Khorz Arkhi Khöldönö, this is the time when twice-distilled homemade Mongolian arkhi (vodka) freezes. As you will recall, the first of the Nine-Nines was the time when regular, or once distilled, arkhi freezes. As this indicates, the second period should be colder than the first, since twice distilled arkhi obviously has a much higher alcohol content. This morning at 8:30 it was a relatively balmy Minus 22°F /-30º C, however, and it is supposed to get up to minus 4º F / -20º C today, so we seem to be having a bit of a warm spell. The Third Nine-Nine starts on January 8.