As Sarianidi explains, «In the late 3rd millennium BCE, along the fertile channels of the old Murghab delta, agricultural settlements began to appear, established by tribes migrating in mass during that era. This movement mirrored the Great Migration of peoples in medieval Europe two thousand years later, and even the ancient inhabitants of the old Kopetdag oases were drawn into this flow. They recognized the advantages of the fertile, yet still untamed, lands along the Murghab and began building their homes and sanctuaries there. Others ventured further, settling along the banks of the Amu Darya, where the kingdom of Bactria emerged contemporaneously with the Margush state. Although these names—Margush (Margiana) and Bactria—were only coined centuries later, during the height of the Bronze Age civilization, they referred to two regions of a single state. It is possible that this ancient state is the mysterious land of Marhashi mentioned in Mesopotamian cuneiform texts, which placed it near the Murghab and Amu Darya rivers.»
Archaeologists have found no significant cultural differences between the two large oases separated by just 400 kilometers of desert—a journey of merely a week for caravans of Bactrian camels that once roamed the region. The term «Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex» (BMAC), coined by Viktor Sarianidi, has now become firmly established in the academic world, largely replacing the Western term «Oxus Civilization,» which referred only to the Amu Darya. Yet, the Murghab’s role in shaping this civilization is just as critical. Excavations at Gonur Depe continue, but now with a parallel effort to preserve the site’s ancient architectural complex for future generations. This has become a key part of a comprehensive state program aimed at studying and conserving the still largely undisclosed mysteries of this unique site.
Throughout history, soft, malleable clay has served as the most accessible and economical building material, widely used in Central Asia since the earliest days of settled life. Just as it is done today in the construction of adobe walls, raw clay mixed with chopped straw was packed into wooden molds and sun-dried until it became as hard as stone. These clay bricks were the primary building blocks for both the humble huts of the poor and the grand palaces and temples of the ancient East. It has been estimated that several million bricks were needed to construct just the palace at Gonur Depe. These bricks were laid with liquid clay mortar and often plastered on both sides, with the surface polished to a shine. All the monumental structures in Margush were built in this manner. However, despite the best efforts of ancient builders, clay structures are not durable; only the foundations and lower walls have survived, protected by layers of crumbled bricks that returned to clay and were buried beneath the shifting sands of the Karakum Desert. This natural preservation, however, is disrupted once an archaeological site is excavated; without immediate protective measures, the exposed ruins begin to erode under the effects of wind and rain. This is where conservation experts step in to protect the remains after the archaeologists have finished their work.
In recent years, the Margiana Expedition and the administration of the Ancient Merv Reserve have undertaken systematic efforts to conserve and restore the walls of the Northern Gonur palace. This task is the most resource-intensive, demanding considerable material, manpower, and time. Yet, thanks to these efforts, visitors to Gonur can now glimpse what the fortress walls, palace sanctuaries, and ceremonial halls of this once-great city looked like. The rooms used for burial rituals have also been fully conserved and partially restored. These conservation efforts were preceded by special experiments that incorporated the experience already gained in Turkmenistan. The result is an optimal method of conservation in which poorly preserved sections of walls are encased within adobe brick shells made from the same clay used to build the original palace centuries ago. These shells are then carefully plastered, encasing the ancient walls in a protective layer that can be removed and replaced in the future if necessary. This method has been successfully applied not only at Gonur Depe but also at other historical sites like Old Nisa.
In addition to the palace, restorers are working to preserve the most intriguing mausoleums within the royal necropolis. Covered pavilions have been erected over these mausoleums to reduce the risk of further deterioration and allow visitors to enter and explore these rare structures. These pavilions have also become field museums, displaying exhibits about Gonur Depe, the excavation process, and the conservation work being carried out.
Today, Gonur Depe is a recognized tourist attraction. Many visitors come to Turkmenistan specifically to see this ancient city, now celebrated as the fifth center of world civilization. They come to witness the grandeur of the structures built by the ancestors of the Turkmen people, who were already skilled builders, masterful jewelers, potters, and sculptors in those distant times.
