Bukhara Uzbekistan, Silk Road

Bukhara is located in central Uzbekistan, on the western edge of the Kyzylkum Desert and southwest of the Amu Darya River. The area is mostly flat and arid, with sandy and gravel plains. The landscape around Bukhara is dry and semi-desert, with few hills, making it a typical desert oasis. 

As a key city on the Silk Road, Bukhara began as part of the Sogdian (Iranian) civilisation, later controlled by nomadic tribes. In the 8th century, the Islamic conquest brought it into the Muslim world. Its greatest period came under the Samanid Dynasty in the 9th and 10th centuries, when it became the kingdom's capital and a centre of Persian art, science, and literature. Notable landmarks from this period include the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, where the founder of the Samanid Dynasty, Ismail Samani, is buried, and the Bolo Haouz Mosque, which still stands today. 

Afterward, Bukhara was ruled by a Turkic dynasty, followed by a Persianate state, before being overthrown in the 13th century by the Mongols. Genghis Khan, the warrior-ruler, decimated many cities in his path, and Bukhara was no exception. However, when he saw the Kalyan Minaret, a stunning 150ft (46m) tower used to summon Muslims to prayer, he spared it from destruction. As a result, this nearly 900-year-old minaret survived intact and is now a prominent feature of Bukhara's UNESCO designation as one of Central Asia's best-preserved medieval cities.

Renowned for its textile industry, Bukhara traded Karakul lambs' fleeces, silk, cotton, leather, clothing, gold embroidery, and metalwork. Among these, carpet weaving was a significant craft, making Bukhara famous for its quality and designs.

Carpet weaving has been a tradition in the region for over a thousand years, and its fine craftsmanship is well-known worldwide. They are traditionally made from wool and dyed using natural vegetable dyes, giving them rich, long-lasting colours. Inspired by Persian and Turkmen designs, antique Bukhara carpets are intensely red with geometric patterns framed by a repeating border. These carpets' soft feel, thickness and almost silky appearance result from high-quality fibres. The most common motif is a gul, which is a medallion-like design element that is often octagonal. 

The technology behind Bukhara's carpet weaving has remained largely unchanged for millennia. The quality and value of a handwoven carpet are determined by the materials used, such as silk, wool, or synthetics, and the density of knots per square centimetre. The more knots a carpet has, the denser and more durable it becomes, but also more time-consuming to make, thus increasing its value. The level of design intricacy, the number of colours, and the size of the carpet further influence its worth.