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35-577: The Ikhshids of Sogdia , with their capital at Samarkand , are well attested during and after the Muslim conquest of Transoxiana . The line survived into Abbasid times, although by then its seat was in Istikhan . Among the most notable and energetic of the Soghdian kings was Gurak , who in 710 overthrew his predecessor Tarkhun and for almost thirty years, through shifting alliances, managed to preserve

70-617: A major power center in the "Western Regions". However, by the mid-3rd century, as per an inscription by Shapur I , Kashgar was likely the easternmost point of the Persian Sasanian Empire . The Arab authors report that the title was also used by the ruler of the Principality of Farghana during the same period: Ibn al-Athir reports that it was the ikhshid of Ferghana who called upon the Chinese for aid against

105-590: A precarious autonomy between the expanding Umayyad Caliphate and the Türgesh khaganate . Also, The ruler of Kāš ( Kashgar ) in the late 8th century, according to the Middle Persian Manichean text Mahrnāmag (Müller, lines 75-76), was called xšy∂ (‘ruler’ in Sogdian ), with the title “Head of Auditors” and the name lyfwtwšy, which is possibly Chinese. In the early 3rd century, Kashgar became

140-616: A reception of foreign dignitaries by Ikhshid king Varkhuman . They were probably painted circa 655 CE, as the Western Turkic Khaganate , members of which appear abundantly in the mural, was in its last days before its fall in 657 CE, and the Tang dynasty was increasing its territory in Central Asia. On the four walls of the room of a private house, three or four countries in neighbouring Central Asia are depicted. On

175-524: A road in the middle of Afrāsiāb mound, the old site of pre- Mongol Samarkand . It is now preserved in a special museum on the Afrāsiāb mound. The paintings date back to the middle of the 7th century CE. They were probably painted between 648 and 651 CE, while the Western Turkic Khaganate was in decline and the Tang Dynasty was increasing its territory in Central Asia. Paintings on four walls of

210-566: A series of rulers of Soghdia in Transoxiana , with their capital at Samarkand , during the pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods. The princely title " Ikhshid " (from Sogdian : xšyδ , [xšēδ] Error: {{Lang}}: Non-latn text/Latn script subtag mismatch ( help ) "Ruler") is of Iranian origin; scholars have derived it variously from the Old Iranian root khshaeta , "shining, brilliant", or from khshāyathiya , "ruler, king" (which

245-511: Is also the origin of the title shah ). The Ikhshids of Soghdia, with their capital at Samarkand , are well attested during and after the Muslim conquest of Transoxiana . The rulers of the Principality of Farghana were also called "Ikhshids". Shishpir, originally ruler of Kish , conquered Samarkand in 631-642 CE and founded the Ikhshid dynasty. His rule in Samarkand followed that of

280-410: Is largely destroyed). The topic of the main (or western) wall, which depicts Kökturk soldiers escorting ambassadors from various parts of the world ( Korea , China, Iranian principalities etc.), is debated. Boris Marshak , a leading expert on Sogdian painting and the excavator of Panjikent , holds that since Sogdian painting always depicts gods on the top of the main wall, the central figure might be

315-621: The Book of the Later Han appears to describe such mural depicting the four civilizations as a common feature in the region: The country of He, also named Qushuangnijia ( Koschânyah ), or Guishuangni [...] To the east of the city, there is a storied pavilion inside of which are paintings. On the north wall, the former emperors of China. To the east, the princes and king of the Turks and the Hindus. To

350-644: The Hunnic tribes who had taken control of the city since around 437 CE. The founder Shishpir was succeeded by several generations of kings, who are recorded in Chinese chronicles and known through their coinage. The Hunnic legacy appears in the coinage of Shishpir, as he adopted the Hunnic Y-shaped tamgha ( [REDACTED] ) on the reverse of his coins. The symbol of the Hephthalites thus appears on

385-649: The Turkic commander and ruler of Egypt Muhammad ibn Tughj , whose grandfather had come from Ferghana. After his title the short-lived dynasty founded by Muhammad al-Ikhshid is known as the Ikhshidid dynasty . Afrasiab murals The Afrasiab murals , also called the Paintings of the Ambassadors , is a rare example of Sogdian art . It was discovered in 1965 when the local authorities decided to construct

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420-669: The Arabs at the Battle of Talas and the dissolution of the Anxi Protectorate in 751 CE. With the domestic An Lushan Rebellion in 755 CE, the Chinese had to removed all of their remaining forces from Central Asia, depriving the Ikhshids of any kind of diplomatic support against the Arabs. Turgar was probably deposed circa 755-757 CE, and stopped minting coinage. Coins of Arabo-Sogdian style were now being minted in Samarkand in

455-466: The Arabs, resulting in the Battle of Talas . The title's prestige in Central Asia remained high as late as the 10th century, when it was adopted by the Turkic commander and ruler of Egypt Muhammad ibn Tughj , whose grandfather had come from Ferghana. After his title the short-lived Egyptian dynasty founded by Muhammad al-Ikhshid is known as the Ikhshidid dynasty . Ikhshids of Sogdia The Ikhshids of Sogdia , or Ikhshids of Samarkand , were

490-571: The Chinese Tang dynasty . The Chinese asserted their political power in Central Asia at the expense of the Western Turks , through the establishment of the Anxi Protectorate and the formal appointment of local rulers to Governor positions in the provinces established by the Chinese. As soon as 650-655 CE, Varkhuman was recognized by the Chinese as "King of Kangju " ( Sogdia ), and Governor, as reported by Chinese chronicles: During

525-404: The Chinese army, led by general Gao Xianzhi , was busy with the war against Tibet . The line survived into Abbasid times, although by then its seat was in Istikhan . Among the most notable and energetic of the Soghdian kings was Ghurak , who in 710 overthrew his predecessor Tarkhun and for almost thirty years, through shifting alliances, managed to preserve a precarious autonomy between

560-680: The Chinese thereafter. The Tang dynasty would establish more or less nominal Protectorates and military garrisons throughout the area, but this control only lasted for a few years. By 662 rebellions broke out throughout the area, and the Western Turks were able to reestablish preeminence, with the Tangs only retaining sporadic and indirect control. During this period, the Ikhshids and other Central Asian polities repeatedly requested Chinese military aid, especially against Muslim conquests, but these requests were generally met with empty promises, as

595-642: The Yonghui (永徽) era (650-655 CE), emperor Gaozong made this territory the Government of Kangju , and gave the title of Governor to the King of the country, Varkhuman (拂呼缦, Fúhūmàn ). The Western Turks , who had been the main power for about a century in the region, disintegrated following the Tang Conquest of the Western Turks and the demise of their ruler Ashina Helu in 658 CE, becoming vassals of

630-471: The ambassadors from various countries, the Western Turks in the mural do not bear gifts. They are considered attendants to the scene, and military escorts to the foreign ambassadors. They are recognizable as Turks by their long plaits. The ambassadors from various countries may have been paying homage both to king Varkhuman and possibly a Western Turk Khagan, both nominal vassals of China. The numerous Turkic officers and courtiers who are present may suggest

665-604: The costumes of the Turks in the 6-7th century CE. They typically wear 3 or 5 long plaits, often gathered together into a single long cloth. They have ankle-long monochromic sleeved coats with two lapels. This fashion for the collar is first seen in Khotan near Turfan , a traditional Turkic area, in the 2nd-4th century CE. They have low black sharp-nosed boots. They wear gold bracelets with lapis lazuli or pearls. There are four walls, with murals in various states of preservation. There were two registers, an upper and lower one, but

700-425: The early Ikhshid period, contain an inscription mentioning King " Varkhuman Unash" When King Varkhuman Unash came to him [the ambassador] opened his mouth [and said thus]: "I am Pukarzate, the dapirpat (chancellor) of Chaganian . I arrived here from Turantash, the lord of Chaganian, to Samarkand , to the king, and with respect [to] the king [now] I am [here]. And with regard to me do not have any misgivings: About

735-603: The expanding Umayyad Caliphate and the Türgesh khaganate . In 718, Ghurak is known to have sent an embassy to the China court, asking for support against the Arabs, but military help was denied, probably because of the huge cost and distances involved: "Then King Ghurak couldn't win in war against the Arabs. He came to plead for help, but the Emperor refused." In retaliation, the Arab governor may have appointed Divashtich ,

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770-405: The founder of the Ikhshids, originated. The Arab authors report that the title was also used by the ruler of Ferghana during the same period: Ibn al-Athir reports that it was the ikhshid of Ferghana who called upon the Chinese for aid against the Arabs, resulting in the Battle of Talas . The title's prestige in Central Asia remained high as late as the 10th century, when it was adopted by

805-464: The gods of Samarkand, as well as about the writing of Samarkand I am keenly aware, and I also have not done any harm to the king. Let you be quite fortunate!" And King Varkhuman Unash took leave [of him]. And [then] the dapirpat (chancellor) of Chach opened his mouth. The paintings of Afrasiab in Samarkand date back to the middle of the 7th century CE at the early stage of the Ilkhshid period, showing

840-445: The lord of Chaganian, to Samarkand, to the king, and with respect [to] the king [now] I am [here]. And with regard to me do not have any misgivings: About the gods of Samarkand, as well as about the writing of Samarkand I am keenly aware, and I also have not done any harm to the king. Let you be quite fortunate!" And King Varkhuman Unash took leave [of him]. And [then] the dapirpat (chancellor) of Chach opened his mouth. In contrast with

875-609: The name of the Governor of Khurasan Abu Dawud Khalid ibn Ibrahim. The only Sogdian resistance now took the form of internal social or religious rebellions, within the framework of the Muslim Caliphate. The Ikhshids issues mostly copper coins on the Chinese model ( Kaiyuan Tongbao type, round with a central square hole), with legends in Aramaic and Sogdian giving the name and title of the ruler. The Aramaic legend uses

910-654: The northern wall China (a Chinese festival, with the Empress on a boat, and the Emperor hunting), on the Southern Wall Samarkand (i.e.; the Iranian world: a religious funerary procession in honor of the ancestors during the Nowruz festival), on the eastern wall India (as the land of the astrologers and of the pygmies , but the painting is much destroyed there). The Ikhshids became nominal vassals of

945-410: The predominance of the Western Turks at the court of Samarkand during this time period. In the mural, the Western Turks are ethnic Turks, Nushibis , rather than Turkicized Sogdians, as suggested by their facial features and faces without beards. They are the most numerous ethnic group in the mural, and are not ambassadors, but rather military attendants. Their depiction offers a unique glimpse into

980-562: The rather benevolent supervision of the Muslim Umayyad Governor Nasr ibn Sayyar . This continued until the revolt of Abu Muslim and the establishment of the Abbasid Caliphate in 750 CE, after which Sogdians had to convert to Islam . Turgar sent an embassy to China in 750 CE, probably asking for support. Hopes of Chinese support for the Ikhshids soon evaporated, with their strategic defeat against

1015-629: The residual coinage of Samarkand , probably as a consequence of the Hephthalite control of Sogdia, and becomes prominent in Sogdian coinage until the Muslim conquest of Transoxiana . Inscriptions found in the ruins of the Ikhshid palace at Samarkand and the legends of coins suggest that the Ikhsids called their own dynasty "Unash", i.e. "Hunnish". The paintings of the Afrasiab murals , made in

1050-511: The room of a private house at the site depict three or four lands neighbouring Central Asia : On the northern wall, China (a Chinese festival, with the Empress on a boat, and the Emperor hunting); on the Southern Wall, Samarkand (i.e.; the Iranian world: a religious funerary procession in honor of the ancestors during the Nowruz festival); on the eastern wall India (as the land of astrologers and of pygmies , though this painting

1085-599: The ruler of Samarkand Varkhuman or the goddess Nana . However, as the Turks are guiding the envoys but are not themselves ambassadors, it has been suggested that the painting depicts the Khagan , with the possible candidates being Ashina Buzhen or more probably Ashina Mishe . The four walls of the palatial room in Afrasiab seem to depict the four principal civilizations influencing in Central Asia at that time: Chinese, Indian, Iranian, and Turkic. The Chinese chronicles of

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1120-412: The ruler of nearby Panjikent , as ruler of Samarkand in order to replace Ghurak. Some of the coinage of Samarkand may have been issued by Divashtich, and may correspond to this period. The power of the Arabs in the region continued to increase, as they defeated the rebellion of Divastich in 722 CE. The reign of the last Ikhshid ruler Turgar seems to have enjoyed a relative period of prosperity, under

1155-488: The title MLKA "King", the Sogdian legend uses the title xšēδ ( Ikhshid , "Ruler"). The Ikhshids also issued a few silver coin on the Sasanian model, with face of the ruler on the obverse, and fire altar on the reverse. The Hunnic Y-shaped tamgha of the Hephthalites ( [REDACTED] ) appears on the reverse of these coins. The second symbol (to the right) is the triskelion , symbol of Kish , from where Shishpir,

1190-615: The upper register of the murals was essentially destroyed by bulldozers during the construction works that led to the discovery of the murals. Various reconstructions for the whole mural have been proposed. In early 2014, France declared that it would finance the restoration of the Afrasiab painting. A palatial structure dating to the Kara-Khanid Khanate (999-1212) was recently discovered in Afrasiab, complete with numerous decorative paintings dating to circa 1200. This period of artistic florescence would end in 1212, when

1225-491: The west, the Persians and those from Byzantium. Every morning the prince of this country goes to this pavilion to pray, and then retreat." Inscriptions at the site mention the king of Samarkand Varkhuman . Written in Sogdian , the inscription, reads: When King Varkhuman Unash came to him [the ambassador] opened his mouth [and said thus]: "I am Pukarzate, the dapirpat (chancellor) of Chaganian . I arrived here from Turantash,

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