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Where in the world

Kazakhstan

Otrar

Sogdian · Kazakhstan

Field notes

civilizations: Sogdian
types: City
occupied: 100 CE — 1,700 CE
country: Kazakhstan

The site

Otrar, also called Farab, is an ancient city in southern Kazakhstan that stood on the Silk Road at the border between settled and agricultural civilizations. At the center of a great oasis, it commanded a key crossroads linking Kazakhstan with China, Europe, the Middle East, Siberia, and the Urals, making it one of the most important cities in the history of Central Asia.

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