Arts and Forts

The first part of today was “ Art”. A visit to the grandly named “State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan named after I V Savitsky ” who was a Russian who moved to Nukus in the late 50s and began to collect Uzbek and denounced Russian avant garde artists
Certainly plenty of pieces to look at, I’ve added my favourite but what was interesting was watching the people going in; grannies, school parties, work outings - in their droves. When we asked the receptionist what was going on she said “ festival “ which would explain the sprucing up going on. We then headed out of Nukus final goal Khiva but with lots of stops ; again appalling roads considering it’s the main road connecting Karakalpakstan to the south..,

First was Chilpik Hill which is the image above : topped by a mud structure 65m across built more than 2000 years ago as a Zoroastrian “tower of silence”, a place for dead bodies to be left and eaten by birds. Inside was like a volcanic crater!

We then visited a fort : Kizil Qala meaning red fortress dating from
1st and 2nd C AD: it forms a square with the corners facing the cardinal points with sides 65m long and 16m high, and walls 8m thick . Again in side was so deceptive!

Third fort was Toprak Qala , a city fortress and religious centre for Zoroastrianism covering a site 500m long and at its peak seeing the 1c BC accommodated a population of 2500.

And finally Ayaz Qala , standing since 4c BC, with a footprint of 182x152m ; inside felt like being on a red dusty planet ..archaeological finds include early wine presses and gold statues
We reached Khiva at dusk , it looks magical. We’re staying in a 19c madrasah ( school) so the rooms are former students cells. Exploring the city tomorrow …