Latest / The Story of Uzbekistan: Silk Road Kingdoms and Soviet Legacy — Fexingo History / Termez: Uzbekistan's Ancient Buddhist Monasteries on the Silk Road
Transcript
- Lucas: When we think of Uzbekistan's Silk Road history, a lot of it is tied to Islam — the great mosques and madrasas of Samarkand and Bukhara. But for centuries before that, this region was a crossroads of other religions too. Lucas: One of the most surprising is Buddhism. And the best place to see that legacy is the ancient city of Termez, right on the border with Afghanistan, along the Amu Darya river. Luna: Wait — there were Buddhist monasteries in Uzbekistan? I had no idea. Lucas: Absolutely. Termez, known in antiquity as Tarmita, was founded by the Greeks after Alexander the Great — it was once called Alexandria on the Oxus. But it really flourished under the Kushan Empire, which ruled much of Central Asia and northern India from around the first to the fourth centuries CE. Lucas: The Kushans were great patrons of Buddhism. Emperor Kanishka, who ruled in the second century, is famous for convening a major Buddhist council and spreading the faith along the Silk Road. Termez became a major monastic center, with dozens of stupas and monasteries. Luna: So what's actually left of all that? Lucas: Quite a lot, actually, if you know where to look. Two of the most impressive sites are Kara Tepe and Fayaz Tepe — clusters of monastic caves and stupas carved into the hills a few kilometers from the city center. They were excavated by Soviet archaeologists in the 20th century, and they've revealed a rich Buddhist world. Lucas: At Fayaz Tepe, they found a large stupa surrounded by monks' cells and a courtyard with frescoes. At Kara Tepe, there are cave temples with intricate reliefs and even fragments of manuscripts in Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts — those were the writing systems used in the Kushan world. Luna: That's incredible. How did these sites survive through all the later invasions and the Islamic period? Lucas: That's the thing — they didn't survive intact. The Arab conquest in the eighth century put an end to Buddhism in the region. Many monasteries were abandoned or destroyed, and the sites were gradually buried by sand and time. But because they were covered, they were preserved in a way. Lucas: Actually, this is a good moment to mention something about how these episodes get made. We're able to cover so many of these stories because a small group of listeners supports the show through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No ads, just a few people chipping in to keep it going. If that feels like something you'd want to be part of, it really helps us keep digging into history like this. Luna: Yeah, it's a small thing that adds up. And it keeps the conversation free for everyone. Lucas: Exactly. So anyway — back to Termez. The most famous monument is the Zurmala Stupa, a huge tower about twelve meters high, made of mud brick. It dates back to the first or second century and was once part of a larger monastery complex. It's one of the best-known Buddhist monuments in all of Central Asia. Lucas: Zurmala stands on a hill overlooking the Amu Darya, and it's remarkable how well it's held up. You can see the original shape of a stupa — a dome on a square base — even though it's weathered. Luna: Was there much of a Buddhist community in Termez after the Kushans? Lucas: The Buddhist presence faded by the time of the Hephthalite invasions in the fifth and sixth centuries, but there's evidence that some monasteries continued into the seventh century. Then the Arabs came in 705 under Qutayba ibn Muslim, and that was the end. The last Buddhists likely converted or left. Lucas: Termez became an Islamic city, but it remained important, especially under the Samanids and Timurids. The medieval city had a great mosque and a citadel. But the Buddhist past was completely forgotten until the 20th century. Luna: What sparked the rediscovery? Was it Soviet archaeologists? Lucas: Exactly. In the 1920s and 1930s, Soviet expeditions led by people like Mikhail Masson and later Galina Pugachenkova began systematic excavations. They were amazed at what they found — whole monasteries, tons of pottery, coins, and even Buddhist statuary. Some of the best pieces are now in the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan in Tashkent. Lucas: One of the most fascinating finds was a clay Buddha head from Kara Tepe with distinct Central Asian features — not the Indian style you'd expect. It shows how local artisans adapted Buddhist iconography. Luna: That must have been a shock to the Soviet archaeologists — finding Buddhism right on the doorstep of the Soviet Union. Lucas: Absolutely. It rewrote the history of the region. Termez was suddenly seen as a key link in the spread of Buddhism from India into China and Central Asia. The sites got some protection, but they've been under threat again in recent years. Lucas: First, the proximity to the Afghan border made them vulnerable during the Soviet war in the 1980s and later conflicts. Then there's industrial development — the Termez chemical plant. And tourism is still minimal compared to Samarkand or Bukhara. Luna: Is it possible to visit the sites today? Lucas: Yes, they're open to visitors, though it can be tricky because of the military zone near the border. But if you go, you can see the ruins, and there's a small museum. It's a humbling experience — standing on the Amu Darya, looking across at Afghanistan, and knowing that monks and merchants once walked those very paths. Lucas: Termez is a reminder that Uzbekistan's story is not just about Islam or the Soviet Union. It's part of a much older, wider network of cultures and faiths. Buddhism was here, and its echoes remain in the dust and the clay. Luna: I'm really glad we talked about this. It adds another layer to understanding the Silk Road.