Postcards of UNESCO world heritage sites: 1675 UZ - Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (2023)

Wednesday, 18 June 2025

1675 UZ - Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (2023)

Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor

The Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor is a key section of the Silk Roads in Central Asia that connects other corridors from all directions. Located in rugged mountains, fertile river valleys, and uninhabitable desert, the 866-kilometre corridor runs from east to west along the Zarafshan River and further southwest following the ancient caravan roads crossing the Karakum Desert to the Merv Oasis. Channelling much of the east-west exchange along the Silk Roads from the 2nd century BCE to the 16th century CE, a large quantity of goods was traded along the corridor. People travelled, settled, conquered, or were defeated here, making it a melting pot of ethnicities, cultures, religions, sciences, and technologies.

丝绸之路：扎拉夫尚-卡拉库姆廊道

扎拉夫尚-卡拉库姆廊道是丝绸之路在中亚地区的咽喉，连接着来自各个方向的其他廊道。其全长866公里，沿途既有崎岖的山脉，又有肥沃的河谷和荒无人烟的沙漠。它先顺着扎拉夫尚河自东向西延伸，然后折往西南，沿古代商队路线穿越卡拉库姆沙漠直达梅尔夫绿洲。自公元前2世纪到公元16世纪，该走廊成为丝绸之路上东西方交流、大量商品贸易的主要渠道。它见证了人类的旅行、定居、征服、溃败，从而发展成民族、文化、宗教、科技的熔炉。

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1675