PA R T F O U R Planning and Management 134 Conservation and Management of Cultural Heritage Sites on the Silk Road in Kyrgyzstan Ludmila Akmatova and Jumamedel Imankulov Abstract: On the central Asian portion of the Silk Road, a On the central Asian portion of the Silk Road, a number number of historic and cultural monuments have attracted of historic and cultural monuments have attracted interest interest from people throughout the world. Kyrgyzstan (the from people throughout the world. Although Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz Republic) has not received much of this attention, how- (the Kyrgyz Republic) has not received much of this atten- ever. This paper addresses the current situation in Kyrgyzstan tion, it possesses important cultural heritage sites that are regarding the state of preservation and restoration of these now gradually becoming better known internationally. This sites, many of which are located in the north in the Chui River paper addresses the current situation in Kyrgyzstan regard- valley and the Lake Issyk-Kul basin. Because of the increasing ing the state of preservation and restoration of its cultural number of tourists to these sites, several measures have been heritage sites along the Silk Road. taken by the government to preserve them. Researchers have studied a number of sites throughout Kyrgyzstan. Some of The Silk Road in Kyrgyzstan these are already open to the public, and state agencies are in place that formally control tourist flow. In addition, private Starting in the second century c.e.,1 transcontinental trade tourism companies have been established. routes crossed the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountain ranges of Despite these accomplishments, unresolved problems southern Kyrgyzstan (Bernstam 1952), connecting the coun- remain. Heritage sites are under exclusive state ownership tries of the Mediterranean Sea with the Yellow and Yangtze and lack defined buffer zones and legal registration. Also, River basins in China (fig. 1). The principal Silk Road routes there is a lack of coordination among government bodies con- passed through the Chui (or Chuy) River valley of northern cerned with the preservation of heritage sites. A number of Kyrgyzstan into the Lake Issyk-Kul basin,2 then via the Bedel archaeological sites that are potentially attractive to visitors pass into Xinjiang in China. Another route led from the Lake and have undergone extensive research have not received state Issyk-Kul basin, through the Kegen (Santash) pass, and into financing or undergone exploratory surveys. Siberia and Mongolia. This route was traversed between 629 With regard to tourism, the major problem is the lack and 645 c.e. by Xuan Zang,3 in part by John of Plan Carpin of adequately trained personnel and the absence of policies between 1245 and 1247,4 and by William of Rubruck between governing tourist flow. In addition, Kyrgyzstan does not cur- 1252 and 1256.5 rently have an educational institution that can provide spe- These extensions of the Silk Road not only connected cialized training in the protection of cultural heritage sites. countries and peoples commercially; they also became a Importantly, the lack of trained personnel extends to special- bridge between the cultures of many different civilizations. ists in preservation and restoration and, to a lesser degree, As such, they contributed to the intensive development of researchers. Krygyzstan’s territory, culture, and economy and strength- ened international relations. The influence of different civi- lizations on the cultural heritage of Kyrgyzstan is vividly 135 136 Akmatova and Imankulov FIGURE 1 Principal Silk Road routes through Kyrgyzstan. represented in the ancient monuments associated with the (Vinnik 1974). The basin’s cultural heritage was influenced Silk Road, most of which are concentrated in the Lake Issyk- by the natural environment, as well as the primary needs of Kul basin in the northeast and in the Chui River valley in the ancient inhabitants and their responses to interlinking the north. social, economic, administrative, and religious conditions. The Lake Issyk-Kul basin, which was nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004, is a single geocultural Lake Issyk-Kul Basin region with distinctive cultural elements and, as such, falls The Lake Issyk-Kul basin is a unique combination of his- within the UNESCO category of a cultural landscape. The torical, cultural, and natural features (fig. 2). Among its physical boundaries of this cultural landscape are defined by archaeological attractions are petroglyphs, earthen rampart the shoreline of Lake Issyk-Kul and by the Terskey Ala-Too walls from medieval settlements, large barrows made by Mountain range to the south and the Kungey Ala-Too range early nomads, epigraphic memorials, and ancient canals to the north. FIGURE 2 Historical and cultural sites of the Issyk-Kul basin. Courtesy Scientific Research Institute “Kyrgyzrestoration” Conservation of Cultural Heritage Sites on the Silk Road in Kyrgyzstan 137 Issyk-Kul State Historical-Cultural Museum-Reserve, which consists of 100 hectares (1 km2) set aside to house a museum and to protect outdoor immovable cultural heritage (e.g., the petroglyphs of Cholpon-Ata, Kara-Oi, Sary-Oi, and Chon- Sary-Oi, as well as the Karool-Debe ancient settlements). The Museum Association supervises both the museum collections and the immovable cultural heritage. Existing data on the Lake Issyk-Kul basin identify it as one of the world’s unique natural and cultural regions. Studies also reveal the alarming fact that the region’s cul- tural sites are in danger of disappearing, despite their signifi- cance. Urgent measures are needed to safeguard them and to enhance public awareness of both their importance and their vulnerability. FIGURE 3 Important cultural and natural sites in the Issyk- Kul basin. Chui River Valley The Chui River valley is the most advanced region in Kyrgyzstan and includes the country’s capital, Bishkek. Figure 3 shows some of the many remarkable sites in During the early Middle Ages, the area was a major trade, the Lake Issyk-Kul basin. Sites include Jeti-Oguz, a pictur- economic, and ethnocultural crossroads of Eurasia. esque canyon around the town of Karakol; Tamga-Tash, a Archaeological excavations conducted in the Chui rock carved with ancient Tibetan Buddhist inscriptions at River valley between 1940 and 2000 identified cities and the Tamga River gorge; Toru-Aighyr, a small village east monumental architectural constructions dating from the of Balykchy, near where eleventh- to twelfth-century baths fifth through seventh centuries c.e. (Kyzlasov 1959; Ziablin were discovered; Ak-Chunkur, a prehistoric cave near the 1961). Researchers were able to trace cultural and artistic Sary-Jazz River; and Cholpon-Ata, a resort center with petro- influences from Byzantium to the west, Iran to the south, glyphs of animals and hunting scenes dating from 500 b.c.e. and China to the east that were left by the peoples who had to 100 c.e. Many of these sites have been strongly influenced inhabited the territory. The culture and art of the Chui River by religious, artistic, and cultural associations with the natu- valley’s Semirechie (Seven Rivers) region from this period ral world and therefore fall within the UNESCO category of are most vividly in evidence at the ancient settlements of associative cultural landscape. Krasnaya Rechka, Ak-Beshim, and Burana, known in antiq- The Issyk-Kul cultural landscape formed from the uity as Navikat, Suyab, and Balasagun, respectively. These interaction between humans and nature over many millen- ancient settlements, as well as Bishkek, are situated on a nia. Examples of this interaction are the barrows left by branch of the ancient Silk Road that led to Lake Issyk-Kul early cultures (e.g., Sak and Usun), the large stones bear- and then to China. ing petroglyphs found among human settlements and on Krasnaya Rechka, Ak-Beshim, and Burana became foothill terraces, and the ruins of ancient settlements in the unique centers of symbiosis where various cultures came form of earthen mounds. Scientific research has confirmed together. The settlements maintained a link with these civi- the authenticity of these archaeological sites, whose integ- lizations by means of the Silk Road, through which passed rity has been preserved in the contemporary landscape and Buddhist pilgrims and Syrian monks, Sogdian merchants, which are viewed by the Kyrgyz people as an integral part of Turkic tribal leaders, and ambassadors from Byzantium, their habitat. Most of the region’s cultural sites still serve as Iran, India, China, and Xinjiang. sanctuaries and places of worship (mazars) for pilgrims, not Of special interest at the ancient settlements of Krasnaya only from the Lake Issyk-Kul basin but from other regions of Rechka, Ak-Beshim, and Burana—referred to as the Golden Kyrgyzstan as well. Triangle—are examples of early medieval temple architec- In 2002, by resolution of the Issyk-Kul State Adminis- ture reflecting Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and tration, the Museum Association was established within the Islam. These monuments are among the finest achievements 138 Akmatova and Imankulov of art and material culture to be found in the East, and per- architecture and archaeology, known as a museum-reserve, haps in the world. and its valuable collections make Burana the center of the historical cities constituting the Golden Triangle. Preservation Activities At Ak-Beshim, the important conservation need is At Krasnaya Rechka (Navikat), the remains of the second presentation and interpretation for visitors of a room in a Buddhist temple are of particular archaeological interest Christian cult center in what was the ancient settlement of (fig. 4).6 The conservation and preparation for visitors of this Suyab (fig. 5). The construction of a shelter made of modern monument, currently under way, will transform it into one materials for protection against atmospheric influences has of the most important sites not only at this ancient town, but been proposed.